Just Below the Surface | Curated by Derrick Adams
Saturday, June 8 – Sunday, July 7
@ Swann House Gallery
Today, multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams announces his conceptual curatorial project titled “Beautiful Decay,” and its debut show “Just Below The Surface,” a solo exhibition by Baltimorean artist Nicholas Wisniewski. Opening June 8, the month-long exhibition will be on view at Swann House Gallery, a rotating exhibition space in Baltimore adjacent to Ulysses, an Ash hotel.
“Beautiful Decay,” as envisioned by Adams, is a series of artist interventions and installations that respond to the state of the interior and exterior of Swann House, through direct and indirect relationships to material, form and application. The participating artists’ exhibitions speak to the human experience as building construction and the condition of the exhibition space are used as a metaphor for perseverance and vulnerability. The series will tap into the local community to highlight the immense talent and artistry present in Baltimore, beginning with the inaugural artist Nicholas Wisniewski.
“Baltimore is full of creative energy and talented artists, all over the city. For this reason, I’ve partnered with Ulysses’s Hotel as guest curator at their new Swann Gallery to showcase some of the locals I feel deserve a spotlight and recognition for their amazing work,” said Derrick Adams.
Wisniewski’s solo exhibition ‘Just Below The Surface’ is centered around works that are constructed from what is left behind at the disproportionate amounts of abandoned residential and commercial properties in Baltimore. Pulling back layers to create objects that mirror local architecture, his works use pieces of discarded elements from unoccupied buildings, as well as other related construction materials from the local community, to challenge forces of neglect and to nurture a cautious optimism about the possibilities of repair. The title “Just Below The Surface” references the existence of the exterior as the first encounter of observation, but suggests a closer inspection and second look beyond the veil.
As the co-founder of The Compound – an artist-led live/work and affordable studio initiative that supports individual and collective production within experimental cultural, social, and urban space – Wisniewski’s career is grounded in social practice. In support of this local artistic community, Bloom’s, the cocktail lounge at Ulysses, will feature a special drink on their menu for the duration of the exhibition benefiting The Compound.
The exhibition will be on view Saturday, June 8th through Sunday, July 7th by appointment. Swann House is a new event space and extension of Ulysses, located in the historic townhouse next door to the hotel. The parlor floor of the brownstone has been reimagined as a space for gathering and celebrations, welcoming parties of up to 85 guests, while Swann House Gallery takes residence on the second floor.