Ryan Schneider

Today I am a Knife

New Paintings

November 21 - December 30, 2007

Opening reception:
Tuesday, November 21, 6 - 9 PM

Ryan Schneider
Today I am a Knife
Oil on canvas
84 x 96 in.
213.36 x 243.84 cm.
2006

PRISKA C. JUSCHKA FINE ART

P R E S E N T S

Ryan Schneider

Today I am a Knife

Priska C. Juschka Fine Art is pleased to present Today I am a Knife,
Ryan Schneider's first solo exhibition in New York City. Intimate and
affecting, Schneider's paintings on view render powerful manifestations
of emotion that range from diabolical affection to quiet connectivity.

For Schneider, painting is a physical and dynamic process that
develops organically upon the surface of the canvas. Crafting forms
from thick paint he gradually formulates and juxtaposes layers of
vibrant patterns, dominant figures, and spatial attributes ultimately
constructing the illusion of space. While he draws upon inspirations
such as Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse and Francis Bacon, the resulting
compositions are entirely intuitive and genuinely subjective. In a
unique and candid language, Schneider thus reflects the emotional
imprints that past interactions have left upon him.

Although not wholly biographical, his paintings function as a
depository for fractions of knowledge and experiences Schneider has
acquired. His works communicate private moments filled with intensity
and significance, in turn situating the viewer in a voyeuristic stance.
Yet with the aid of elements such as the associative patterns and the
male figure that reappears throughout the series, one is able to follow
and penetrate the depicted narratives, and consequently provide a
subjective interpretation to the works. Thus, through the universal
vernacular of painting, the individual viewers may transform an
intensely intimate moment into their own personal truth.

Ryan Schneider was born in Indianapolis, IN and currently lives and
works in New York. He holds a BFA from the Maryland Institute College
of Art, Baltimore. He has previously exhibited in numerous group shows
in the US, and has independently published several poetry anthologies.


Ryan Schneider