ANDY ROBERT

At the 58th Carnegie International 

Seeing Andy Robert’s collection of large-scale pieces at the 58th Carnegie International was my first exposure to the artist’s work, and to me, he is the true star of the show. I was immediately struck by these pieces when I saw them for the first time. 

I personally have a strange dislike for large-scale work, particularly abstract large-scale work. I think that those kinds of pieces come off as oppressive and mean-spirited. 

This work, however, had a completely different effect on me. I find Robert’s work to be extremely charming and has an air of politeness about it. A great appreciation I have for him and his work comes from the way that he chooses to describe and talk about it. His explanations have a sense of subtlety and respect for the audience that I think a lot of other work/artists lack. 

The visual qualities of these paintings offer a soft and inviting experience, despite their grand size. They are framed on various pieces of found wood, such as old doors that Robert finds on his walks through New York City. This is not only admirably resourceful, but it is incredibly unique and gives the work an elevated charm and a human connection. 

The naturalness of this wood plays beautifully off of the ripples in the canvas, and the light, but purposeful markmaking in a more neutral color palette. 

The way that these pieces are experienced goes far beyond what we see with the marks on the canvas. The work could almost be described as sculptural. The construction of each framing device, as well as the way that the canvas is attached, makes the visual identity of each one different in a way that feels personal and important. 

This series was commissioned by the Carnegie Museum of Art for this exhibition, which is curious to me because I find the tone of them to be far more approachable than some other works of abstraction featured in the show. If you are in the area, I highly suggest checking it out, even if just for this collection of work by Andy Robert.