Greg Chann began this series of wall-mounted sculptures during the pandemic. Working within the parameters of a rigid gridded composition — inspired in part by the stepped Manhattan cityscape visible from his Brooklyn studio — he is focused on the sensitivity of proportion, weight, and balance. The sculptures hang by a single central nail.
Chann draws on the ancient Chinese Yin and Yang symbol, in which contrary forces prove complementary and interdependent, and on the meditative complexity of Buddhist mandalas. As he describes it, his work "invites viewers on a contemplative journey" through the intricate interconnectedness of our world. The sculptures' precisely arranged geometric forms suggest architecture — a skyline, lines on a map — while smoky colors evoke city smog and intense jewel tones recall neon and light.
The sculptures consist of indelible ink on acrylic forms which are delicately airbrushed. Their transparent surfaces are layered so that colors range from glossy and vibrant to muted and hazy as light filters through each lucent plane. Shadows and reflections disrupt flat color as one hue melts into the next. Chann's palette respectfully references the bold vivacity of the Fauvist painters and pays homage to the Bauhaus — in keeping with work that is, at its heart, about balance and harmony.
Greg Chann has shown his work with Denise Bibro Fine Art, NYC; Dorsky Gallery, NYC; Margaret Thatcher Projects, NYC; The Drawing Center, NYC; among other spaces around the country. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, NY Arts, and Time Out New York. He has received a NY Foundation of the Arts Fellowship, and the NY Foundations of the Arts/Felissimo Award and lives and works in New York.
Greg Chann is represented by Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, with gallery locations in Chelsea, New York City - at 529 West 20th Street and 179 10th Avenue. His work is available for purchase through the gallery and on Artsy.