Leidy Churchman, Niki de Saint Phalle! (1) (2021), via Matthew Marks

On view at Matthew Marks in New York this month, artist Leidy Churchman presents a body of twenty-four monotypes, showcasing an expressive and engaging aspect of the artist’s already dynamic and expressive practice. Turning their hand towards print-making in a series of varied and interesting works, the artist seeks to catalyze the feeling of images and thoughts in human consciousness. By giving attention to each image, the artist hopes to encourage what they have described as “an immersion and transformation of the world from an intimate perspective; a richer, rounder view of the moment from within the mind.” 

Leidy Churchman, Tesla Folly (white) (2021), via Matthew Marks

A monotype is a unique print made by painting on a hard surface, laying a sheet of paper on top, and running the plate and the paper through a press to transfer the image. Printed from a single application of ink, monotypes have a richness and an immediacy more commonly associated with painting than with printmaking. This immediacy makes monotypes an especially rich field of experimentation for Churchman, who has been making them since 2013.

Leidy Churchman, Butterfly Eyes (1) (2023), via Matthew Marks

Leidy Churchman, Purple Puffer (1) (2023), via Matthew Marks

Churchman is already well known for their wide-ranging subject matter, which draws variously from nature, contemporary media, everyday objects, as well as a myriad of cultural signs and symbols, and this show is no different. Charts and catalog imagery, landscapes and graphics all get their moment in the sun here. Whether depicting Niki de Saint Phalle’s La femme et L’oiseau fontaine (1967) installed in the courtyard of MoMA PS1, a foot reflexology chart, or a seated giraffe, Churchman conceives of each monotype as part of an interconnected body of work. This encyclopedic diversity of images subverts traditional categories of representation and reflects the richness that constitutes human experience.

The artist’s work is on view through April 15th.

– D. Creahan

Read more:
Leidy Churchman at Matthew Marks [Exhibition Site]

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