Carroll Dunham - Prints

In his fourth solo exhibition with c/o – Atle Gerhardsen Carroll Dunham shows prints from 1995/96 and 2000/2001.

Since 1995/96, when Carroll Dunham discovered the hydraulic process, he used printing as a new medium to work with. Because of the possibility to put high pressure on a surface he got the possibility to produce relief like three-dimensional works on thick handmade paper. The black contour lines surrounding the monochrome spaces as well as the Styrofoam balls, Dunham applied to the surface of the paper before they were going to be printed, come out of the print to form a three-dimensional work showing his typical “characters”. Carroll Dunham developed these “characters” in 1994/95 based on drawings and paintings with organic forms he made during the 80s. At that time he worked in the sense of surrealistic automatism, drawing out of his subconscious mind forms he saw in the grain of the wood used for paintings. Still the blind, often penis-nosed, angularly designed “creatures” act also in the prints in front of a grain-patterned background. The creature’s blindness denies them an extra visual dialogue with the viewer. It’s their shaping, and not their seeing that express their purpose. Which habitual deal with love, hate, sex, violence, etc.. Subjects, which built up a connection with everyday life and its cultural expression through media. Especially the cartooning of Chuck Jones (Warner Bros.) and Dr. Seuss were clearly influential for his strength use of his formal elements: monochrome coloured spaces and black contour lines.

Carroll Dunham, born 1949 in New Haven/Connecticut, lives and works in New York. Pressetext

Carroll Dunham - Prints