John Rosewall's exhibit of new and recent paintings, Grip, examines the relationship between the powerful and powerless in today's United States-led global world order. The works are based on photographs appropriated from a wide variety of sources as well as photographs taken by the artist himself using models in the studio. Before and during the painting process, Rosewall modifies the images in various ways, removing unnecessary elements, highlighting others, combining multiple photographs, distilling the images to their essentials, in order to create the individual works which, taken together, provide an over-arching narrative of our current political situation. The installation asks the viewer to follow the contemporary vectors of influence that run from West to East, from First to Third World, from the capitals where half-secret deals are made to the streets and countrysides where they are enforced via repression, exploitation, and obscene violence.

September 9 through October 13