Exploring two of the oldest subject matters in contemporary form, the artists featured in this exhibition individually illustrate the human figure and our physical landscape – and subsequently, the symbiotic relationship between the two.

Throughout the history of art, the human form has been an endless source of inspiration for artists. From the first cave paintings to the present day, the figure has been reinterpreted in countless displays of creative expression. Often presented with precise accuracy – as seen in the drawing by Eric Yahnker and collage by David X. Levine – contemporary, historical, and religious figures can find new meaning within the context of a portrait. While some artists prefer realism, others use abstraction to manipulate the human form. Peter Opheim’s whimsical figures derive from an initial sculptural stage, while Josh Jefferson transforms the human head through layers of bold color, and graphic brushstrokes.

There has always been an intimate relationship between the figure and landscape. While artists Chris Ballantyne and Alex Lukas offer panoramic perspectives and futuristic visions of a post-apocalyptic climate, Joe Wardwell’s work links landscape with language – speaking directly to the precarious relationship we have with the environment. Fusing both figure and landscape, Molly Segal depicts two destitute figures inextricably linked with the industrial landscape in which they find themselves. Dissolving the boundaries between subject and setting, this lush watercolor further emulates the fluidity between these elements.