Ryan Schneider
Coinciding with the last weeks of Ryan Schneider's first European solo institutional exhibition at Les Musées de la Citadelle in Villefranche-Sur-Mer, France, the artist will present a new body of wood, bronze, and stone sculpture at The Pit Los Angeles, his second solo exhibition with the gallery.
Schneider's oil pigment sculptures and canvases take inspiration from the stark beauty of the California desert, with its vast expanses and dramatic rock formations, along with primitive spiritual objects and German Expressionism, an artistic movement that emphasized emotional expression and the use of bold colors and distorted forms. His open-air desert studio provides daily encounters with nature, which he translates into simple forms using the foundational tools of his painting practice. The artist balances control and chance, allowing the materials to shape their own destiny. This approach results in works that are both intentional and spontaneous, reflecting the artist's willingness to surrender to the creative flow. His brightly colored and raw material works prioritize emotional expression over realistic representation, offering the viewer a joyful and visceral experience.