Gregory Blanche
Monument to Infitity
Into the Woods
Blue Forest Walk
Storeroom Window
Blue Forest Walk (Detail)
Blue Forest Walk
Deposition
Stack
Artist Bio
Gregory Blanche is an artist from Berkeley, California who has lived in Florence, Italy for much of his life. His paintings, drawings and sculptures depict abandoned places and dilapidated everyday things. His work speaks to the challenges of solitude, and resignation towards the feeling of insignificance in comparison to nature. He questions his fascination with realism through the use of unnatural color and materials that contrast with the subject they represent, such as using glazed clay for ruffled fabric. He gives domestic objects unexpected monumentality and an understated anthropomorphic expression. He received a BFA in Painting from SFAI and is completing an MFA in Fine Arts at CCA.
Artist Statement
At some point, while staring at the ceiling, I came to the realization that everything is beautiful - anything can be portrayed in a way that captivates the eye. Some of my best work comes from reflecting on arbitrary things, while my “important ideas” often lead to getting mired down. When inspired, I photograph places and objects on the spur of the moment. As a passenger in a car at an intersection I notice the enigma of abandoned shoes on the sidewalk, and before the light changes I capture the scene with my phone. On my bike, I recognize the apocalyptic grandeur of the non-place under the freeway. My dilapidated sofa in disarray, consumed while offering comfort, now evokes the pathos of a limp body, in need of comfort itself. Absurd but real visions, hard to invent. The artistic process is a kind of meditation that I can use to preserve and elaborate these perceptions. Realism helps me suspend disbelief while investigating their hidden metaphors. What an awesome ceiling!