Beyond Matter, Ingrid Ludt’s first solo exhibition in Boston consists of paintings that abstract bits and pieces of the universe to liberate them from the burden of representation. Colours and forms drawn from nature are transformed into play pieces in elaborate studio games. The exhibition will be open from Sept. 1 to 26, 2021, with an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 3 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Bromfield Gallery.
Ingrid Ludt – Homage to Arp Flasche on canvas, 24″ x 30″, 2021 ©
The compositions are drawn from pieces of bark, shell, and other natural ephemera and then carefully arranged to respond to the rectangle of the canvas. The patterns and geometries of nature’s fragments are pared down and rendered on the canvas. In some cases, the universe can be found within a single fragment; in others, the pieces are assembled in order to unlock some kind of secret.
The colours, on the other hand, are chosen through randomness and games: picking among crumpled swatches, assigning colours to dice, and drawing tarot cards. Ludt is inspired by the irreverent anarchism of the Dadaists in the early 20th century, who worked amid war and disease, not unlike the 21st century. Ludt’s response, like the Dadaists before her, is to bring playfulness and chance to the foreground. The lightness and pleasure of the process are palpable in the paintings, where the shapes radiate the colours that they’ve been assigned.
This is the serious business of play: to expel the inner critic, invigorate an artistic practice, counteract the harsh realities of the day, and connect with the universe. It is this act of discovery, by both Ludt and the viewer through the paintings, that connects us to something larger, Beyond Matter.
Exhibition: Beyond Matter, a solo exhibition by Ingrid Ludt Bromfield Gallery, September 1 – 26, 2021
Opening Reception: Friday, September 3, 2021 from 6-8:30 pm
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5 pm
