Extraction

Steve Turner is pleased to present Extraction, a group exhibition featuring new paintings by Joaquín Boz, Ryan Brown, Ivan Comas, Pablo Rasgado and Michael Staniak. Using unconventional materials and processes, the five artists take an archaeological approach to abstract painting by extracting elements from collective memory or urban environments in order to create monumental paintings. In so doing, they expand the definition of abstraction while maintaining a connection to its history.

Joaquín Boz uses his hands to apply oil paint to thin paper, creating expressive gestural abstractions. Ryan Brown utilizes the structural components of a stretched canvas to create large works that are reminiscent of flattened, oversized beach chairs. Ivan Comas layers cement, asphalt and house paint to create highly-textured paintings that evoke aspects of the ever-changing built environment of Latin American mega-cities. In his series Unfolded Architecture, Pablo Rasgado composes abstract paintings using fragments from the demolished walls of temporary museum exhibitions. Michael Staniak uses the medium of memory itself—pulverized CDs, DVDs and silicon wafers—to create the sparkly surfaces of his DATA paintings.

Joaquín Boz (born 1987, Buenos Aires) studied at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires under the direction of Jorge Macchi. He has had solo exhibitions with Móvil, Buenos Aires (2014) and Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2015). He is the youngest artist to have work included in My Buenos Aires, curated by Albertine de Galbert, at La Maison Rouge, Paris (2015) and will be featured in two-person presentations at ArtBO, Bogotá (2015) and ARCO Madrid (2016). He lives and works in Buenos Aires.

Ryan Brown (born 1977, Doylestown, Pennsylvania) earned a BFA at The School of Visual Arts, New York (2006); has had solo exhibitions at Y Gallery, New York (2012 & 2014); OMR Gallery, Mexico City (2013) and has had work included in group exhibitions at Cisneros Fontanals Foundation, Miami; 80m2, Lima and Stenersen Museum, Oslo. He lives and works in New York.

Ivan Comas (born 1987, Buenos Aires) earned an MFA at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris (2012) and has had solo exhibitions at the Vergez Collection, Buenos Aires (2014) and Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2015). He will have a solo exhibition at Art Berlin Contemporary in September 2015 and will be featured in two-person presentations at ArtBO, Bogotá (2015) and ARCO Madrid (2016). He lives and works in Berlin.

Pablo Rasgado (born 1984 Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico) has had solo exhibitions at Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2011, 2012, 2013 & 2015); Arratia Beer, Berlin (2012 & 2014); OMR, Mexico City (2013); and Museo Experimental El Eco, Mexico City (2011). He has also had work in group exhibitions at CAM Raleigh (2014); The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2013); Ex Magazzini di San Cassian, Art Collateral Events, 55th Venice Biennale (2013); Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Israel (2013); Museo Carrillo Gil, Mexico City (2012); and Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City (2010). His work is owned by public collections including Wattis Foundation, San Francisco; Perez Art Museum, Miami; Jumex Collection, Mexico City; and The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He lives and works in Mexico City.

Michael Staniak (born 1982, Melbourne) earned a BFA and an MFA from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne as well as a BA from Middle Tennessee State University. He has had solo exhibitions at Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis (2015); Annarumma Gallery, Naples (2015); and Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2014 & 2015). His work has been included in group shows at The Moving Museum’s Istanbul project (2014) and Kunsthalle Vienna (2014 & 2015). The Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis will publish a monograph later this year. Staniak lives and works in Melbourne.