Carter Hodgkin: Unforeseen Behaviors

Carter Hodgkin: Unforeseen Behaviors, on view September 9 to October 16, 2010, is the artist’s premiere solo exhibition at Denise Bibro Fine Art. Fusing physics, digital technology, and painting, Hodgkin’s hyper-energetic, cascading compositions are based on simulated atomic particle collisions. Amid an infinite black void, thousands of vibrantly-hued dots explode and implode in a constant state of flux, conjuring fireworks, waterfalls, and volcanic mountains. An exploration of instability and uncertainty, Unforeseen Behaviors alludes not only to the behavior of atomic particles, but to emotional states of tumult, tension, and unease.

Embracing the infinitesimal realm of physics, Hodgkin manipulates computer code to generate animations of simulated particle collisions. From these animations she captures still images which become templates for the paintings, blurring the boundaries between digital media, drawing, and painting. Layer upon layer of overlapping tiny dots and fragile lines are painstakingly hand-painted in oils, coalescing into emergent iconic forms. In the artist’s words, the work “reflects a tension between technology and handcraft, as well as the rigor of scientific process and the emotional possibilities of abstraction.”

Hodgkin has mounted solo shows at venues including Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art, Berland/Hall Gallery, Nature Morte Gallery, and White Columns, all in New York City; as well as Nature Morte in New Delhi, India; and the ZKM/Center for Art & Media, Karlsruhe, Germany. Selected group exhibitions include the New Museum, and the Drawing Center, both in New York City; Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC; Adamson Gallery, Washington, D.C.; and Musée Mediathèque, Uzes, France. Her work has been reviewed in Art in America, Flash Art International, and The Los Angeles Times, among others. Selected collections include the U.S. Library of Congress, Goldman Sachs, and Pfizer Corporation. Hodgkin recently completed a large-scale public art commission for City University of New York, Queens College. She lives and works in New York City, and is represented exclusively by Denise Bibro Fine Art.