FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Al Souza

New Works

March 10 - April 21, 2001


AL SOUZA's first solo exhibition at the Charles Cowles Gallery will feature his distinctive "paintings" made entirely from jigsaw puzzle pieces. SOUZA makes use of a complex combination of found puzzles in varying states of completion to create layered compositions. These works overwhelm the eye with intense detail and create a rich tapestry of colors when considered as a whole. This exhibition is SOUZA's first in New York since he exhibited his monumental work The Peaceful Kingdom in the 2000 Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

In addition to the puzzle works, SOUZA will be exhibiting his new Spitball pieces made over fourteen consecutive days from pages of each day's New York Times. Created during a recent artists residency, these works were inspired by the synergy of his close interaction with writers. While writers were transforming the majestic landscape views into language, SOUZA physically altered the printed word to produce a purely visual work. The rhythmic process of shaping the subtly colored spitballs is a form of meditation for SOUZA.

Also on view will be a selection of cut paper works using atlas pages, sheet music, and weather charts. Reconfigured into seemingly random layers of overlapping, meticulously cut out ovals, these works allow the viewer to recognize the hidden beauty in the mundane source materials. As with the puzzle paintings, SOUZA's instinctive sense of balance counteracts the chaos produced by the layering of the imagery.

SOUZA's work is currently included in the group exhibition Postmodern Americans at The Menil Collection, Houston, on view through May 13, 2001. His work is included in major public collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu; Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.

The exhibition will be on view at the Charles Cowles Gallery's new location at 537 West 24th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues in Chelsea. Hours are 10am to 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday. There will be a reception for the artist on Thursday, March 8, from 6-8 pm.

For further information or photographs, please contact the gallery.