March 28 – May 4, 2013
Allyn Gallup, Sarasota, FL
A reception, with the artist, is April 5, 6-8 p.m.
“Peter Stephens’ abstract paintings in this show, part of his celebrated ‘The Standard Model’ series, are precise, otherworldly and fascinating,” says Allyn Gallup, director of the gallery. “Peter’s imagination accepts no boundaries. His work invites the viewer through an amazing itinerary of many possible worlds and, so far, he hasn’t hit the outer limits yet.”
“The Standard Model” refers to the theory of the fundamental interactions in particle physics—an experimentally validated model that most contemporary physicists share. According to Stephens, this theory’s implications are both microcosmic and macrocosmic. “It affects both our understanding of subatomic particles and the cosmos as a whole system,” he says. “I find nature to be most sublime at these extremities of scale. To paraphrase J.B. Haldane, ‘The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.'”
Referring to the paintings in this series as, “layered systems that form analogs to the biological, chemical, and even psychological components that construct our world view,” Stephens paints incessantly, using multiple, transparent layers of ink, and acrylic and oil paints and shellac—resulting in rich saturated colors and astounding dimensionality.
A resident of Buffalo, N.Y., Stephens graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and attended the University of Siena in Italy. His work is included in major collections, including at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Brooklyn Museum, and Burchfield-Penney Art Center. The artist’s work is also exhibited at galleries in Chicago, Toronto, New York City, La Jolla, and Buffalo. For more information about Peter Stephens, visit www.peterdstephens.com.
For more information about this exhibit, call 941-366-2454 or visit www.allyngallup.com.
1288 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota, FL
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