Bio

Defined by lines and irregular shapes, the paintings of Brian Sharp (b. 1974 Akron, Ohio) hum with an energy arising from specific combinations of forms and colors. The works sometimes seem calligraphic, but letterforms disappear almost as soon as they emerge, slipping in and out of recognizability. His bold geometries can seem mathematically derived, but the arrays of lines and shapes are not so rigidly prescribed. The interdependence of positive and negative space creates a visual tension in which the elements of the composition seem to vie for dominance but ultimately end up in a hard-fought draw. Slivers of color evince layers of underpainting, an effect accentuated by Sharp’s process of rubbing out or repainting when something is not working. What looks like a solid red is revealed, on closer inspection, to be a complex amalgam of hues, and the colors may shift as one’s body changes position in relation to the painting and the light source. The work explores the hand of the painter and the decisions made in the process of painting.