At first glance, John Dante Bianchi’s bas-relief works appear to be painted abstractions. A closer looks reveals a hand-hewn, sculpted process, which involves layering, sanding, and stripping of material and color. “I don’t want to be considered a painter, I’m really a sculptor. These are flat sculptures,” Bianchi has said. The artist’s recent “Bruised Panel” series references bruises and the human body, unexpectedly blending trauma with beauty through luminous coloring and softly textured surfaces. Educated at Parsons School of Design, Cooper Union, and Yale University, Bianchi now lives and works in Brooklyn and is represented by Thierry Goldberg Gallery, New York.