440 Gallery is pleased to present Through the Looking Glass, a solo exhibition of abstract paintings by Ellen Chuse. This collection of acrylics on paper represents Chuse’s on-going spiritual journey as an artist, as well as reflections on aging and intimations of mortality. Deceptively simple compositions are formed with deeply saturated color and bold symbolic shapes that create a complex and meditative experience for the viewer. This is the eighth solo show at the gallery for Chuse.  

Chuse writes about her work: 

“When Alice first passed through the looking glass she found herself in a disquieting and unknown place. In 2017, I found myself falling into a new and disturbing world. I began making intensely dark images. Initially they felt ominous and frightening, but eventually this morphed into meditations on shape and color. Those pared-down compositions became my ‘looking glass,’ in a sense, portals that have carried me into new and uncharted places. 

The new paintings in Through The Looking Glass remain emotionally resonant. This series pairs my exploration of saturated color with archetypal forms. These forms, and the passages through them, represent entryways into the unknown. In some cases the images can seem an invitation, in others an obstruction, but there is always a way through. The beauty of an abstract, symbolic image is that meaning will vary from one person to another, one culture to another. As I’ve explored this over the years, I have discovered an inherent mystery and ambiguity of meaning to my art which I find exciting. Ideally, these artworks challenge the viewer to bring personal associations and experiences to each piece.”

While these paintings don’t follow Alice’s story, they do indeed reflect Chuse’s grace in embracing the unknown. “Process is very important to me,” says Chuse. “I know where to begin but can never predict where the piece will eventually lead me. I intuitively create within the shapes and colors that engage me at the moment, and I am often surprised to discover the family of work that emerges.” 

Ellen Chuse has been a member of 440 Gallery for over 15 years and for 23 years has been an active participant in the Gowanus arts community. Chuse received her BFA in Fine Arts from Philadelphia College of Art (now UArts) and her MFA in Sculpture from Queens College, CUNY. She studied in Italy as a Fulbright Fellow in Sculpture in 1972-73. Her work has been exhibited widely, from the New York metropolitan area to South Korea as well as in Austin, TX and Rome, Italy. In Brooklyn, her work has been shown at the Kentler International Drawing Space, Established Gallery, Site:Brooklyn, Sweet Lorraine Gallery, and St. Joseph’s University, as well as the Art on Paper fair in Manhattan. In 2022, she was invited to participate in the Italian-based annual BAU: Container of Contemporary Culture, currently being exhibited throughout Europe. Chuse lives and works in Brooklyn.

Exhibition Date: April 20 - May 21, 2023

Location: 440 Gallery

440 6th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11215

Gallery hours:

Thursday - Friday, 4-7pm

Saturday - Sunday 12-6pm.

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