In James Gortner’s work, painting
becomes a site of transformation. Here, past lives of materials, images,
and intentions converge. His surfaces are sculptural and layered,
composed of reconstructed artist's paintings and reclaimed paint with
history embedded in their very texture. Drawing from spiritual practice,
dream logic, and art historical tradition, he forges visual languages
that reflect the chaos, hope, and interconnection of the present moment.
In James Gortner’s work, painting
becomes a site of transformation. Here, past lives of materials, images,
and intentions converge. His surfaces are sculptural and layered,
composed of reconstructed artist's paintings and reclaimed paint with
history embedded in their very texture. Drawing from spiritual practice,
dream logic, and art historical tradition, he forges visual languages
that reflect the chaos, hope, and interconnection of the present moment.
Gortner studied at The Art Students League of New York and received
his MFA from Columbia University. His work has been exhibited at the
Fisher Landau Center for the Arts (New York), Mana Contemporary (New
Jersey), San Bernardino County Museum (California), the Museum of
Contemporary Art MAC (Chile), and the RW Norton Art Museum (Louisiana).
His work has been featured in print in New American Paintings, New
American Art Collector Magazine, Men’s Journal, Archatectural Digest,
and The Berliner, among other publications. His art is in numerous
private collections, including President Jiang Zemin of China and
actress Reese Witherspoon. James Gortner lives and works in the West
Village of New York City.
Ground Breakage → Studio
"Here, I use reclaimed industrial paint to set, dry, and reverse found paint from an existing surface onto stretched linen. I employed this technique when I was forced to leave my studio. I decided to take the space with me. I reversed onto my canvas the topmost drywall, flooring paint, and wood surfaces, which included my own spilled paint marks, footprints, loose brush bristles, staples, bits of cut canvases, dust, overspray, and trace gouges in the floor and walls where earlier I had knifed through paintings. In doing this, I preserve a history of my artistic enterprise in the space, but also rip away the remnants of my efforts. The gesture and the resulting art could be seen as at once defiant and redemptive, destructive and transformative."
-James Gortner, New American Paintings
Magic Beanstalk
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 81 in x 51 in | 206 cm x 130 cm
(Available)
A Coral’s Sense Of Time
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Available)
Amplifier
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 48 in x 35 in | 122 cm x 89 cm
(Available)
“Sunburst”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Available)
“Reap What You Sow”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 72 in x 36 in | 183 cm x 91 cm
(Available)
“Blues Singer II”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen (excerpt studio floor), 77 in x 44 in | 196 cm x 112 cm
(Available)
“Silver Dagger”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“Clairvoyance”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“Death Ray”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 48 in x 35 in | 122 cm x 89 cm
(Private Collection)
“Myth Hammer”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 77 in x 43 in | 196 cm x 109 cm
(Private Collection)
“Dream Catcher”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“As Above, So Below”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“Cannon”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Private Collection)
“Burn”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“Wizard Lightning”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 60 in x 40 in | 152 cm x 102 cm
(Private Collection)
“Yours Is The Earth”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Private Collection)
“Bell Toll / Iron Bird”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 20in x 16 in
(Private Collection)
“Viking”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 48 in x 35 in | 122 cm x 89 cm
(Private Collection)
“Fire”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“Blues Singer”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 48 in x 35 in | 122 cm x 89 cm
(Private Collection)
“Secret Garden”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Private Collection)
“Nickel And Copper”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“Hell Below, Sky Above”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Private Collection)
“Party Time”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
“Carbon, Time, Pressure”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Available)
“Sand In Hand”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“Untitled(Silver & Transparent Violet)”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 40 in x 30 in | 102 cm x 76 cm
(Private Collection)
“Blood Moon”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“Speed, Force, Distance”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Available)
“Real Estate Zen”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“Purple Flame”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 30 in x 22 in | 76 cm x 56 cm
(Private Collection)
“Small Axe”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 14 in x 10 in | 36 cm x 26 cm
(Private Collection)
“TNT”
Reclaimed paint and wood on linen, 66 in x 48 in | 168 cm x 122 cm
(Private Collection)
To inquire about curating an exhibition of new works in this series at your museum or gallery, please contact the artist.