FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Robert Yoder

New Works
March 16 - April 20, 2002


Charles Cowles Gallery is pleased to present our first exhibition of works by ROBERT YODER. His compositions hint at aerial views of utopian landscapes without specificity of location. YODER deconstructs scavenged street signs and remakes them as abstract assemblages. Reference materials like atlases and topographical maps inspire his works visually but also inform his choice of titles. He gleans small-town names from frequent perusal of these resources to give his works a sense of place.

Reflective paint shimmers with a metallic sheen when light hits the surfaces of the works. Graphically stunning from a distance, YODER puzzles the letters and symbols on the signs together but rarely leaves them legible. The use of multiple signs in each work adds variety in depth and color. The grain of the wood asserts itself through the slick laminate adding a subtle texture to the entire surface. The abuses of road wear record an intriguing archaeology from the sign's previous incarnation. Ravaged by exposure, these signs, recently the detritus of municipal governments, are now revered as art objects.

Born in Virginia, YODER currently lives and works in Seattle. This exhibition is his first solo show in New York. YODER's work is included in distinguished collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, and the Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA.

The exhibition will be on view at the Charles Cowles Gallery, 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 14 from 6-8 pm.

For further information or photographs, please contact the gallery.