Tim Biskup: Emergent

For the past 15 years, Tim Biskup has been perfecting a style of monochrome graphite drawings on paper that has come to define his artistic practice.

The abstract images he creates with a single block of graphite draw on modernist forms simultaneously reminiscent of the Isamu Noguchi and Henry Moore, but are executed with the whimsy and humor of contemporary flat field artists like and Joe Bradley and Jonas Wood.

Biskup has garnered tens of millions of views of his live drawing videos posted to his @tbiskup account on Instagram. Many of the works created live on this platform will be exhibited as part of EMERGENT.

Frieze Magazine says of Biskup’s work: “Mesmerizing… You’ll marvel at his balletic wielding of a single hunk of graphite across the page.”

Culled from thousands of finished drawings and studies Biskup’s Face Guts exhibition examines the process and breadth of this body of his work and includes works created throughout the 2020 pandemic and some as recently as the day of the opening event.

Face Guts Gallery will also host a series of live drawing events that will allow the public to witness the spontaneous birth of Biskup’s graceful lines and will be integrated into the show as they are created.

In addition Whitebox.LA also produced a fully illustrated color catalog with an essay by author Jessie Pearson.

EMERGENT will open during the last week of Tim Biskup’s solo painting show, SMOKE at SADE Gallery in Lincoln Heights (through December 17th). The exhibition represents an elevation of his drawing practice into large scale paintings on canvas. The small selection of drawings included in the show hint at the potential of his craft.

EMERGENT is a deep dive into Biskup’s archive by the artist’s friend, photographer Joshua White who’s WhiteBox.LA recently teamed up with Biskup & his Face Guts Gallery to present Darius Airo’s drawing exhibition, “Casual Banter”.

Also premiering at Face Guts is a site specific installation by Biskup’s friend, sculptor Daniela Soberman in the gallery’s signature window box space to celebrate the launch of her “Turn Left at Belgrade” clothing line. Key pieces from the line will be available for purchase.