Mark Tansey

I think of the painted picture as an embodiment of the very problem we face with the notion of “reality.” The problem or question is, which reality?
—Mark Tansey

Gagosian is pleased to present an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Mark Tansey, representing more than six years of work. The exhibition at 980 Madison Avenue in New York will feature one new painting—Xing (2021)—three other recent paintings, and a selection of new drawings made in graphite mixed with oil or water.

Working within the stylistic conventions of figurative painting, Tansey pursues a fascination with history by layering imagery derived from an extensive archive of printed ephemera, collages, and sketches, often depicting sublime landscapes punctuated by figures or vessels. In detailed monochromatic scenes—since 2004 he has made particular use of blue—he distorts perspective and scale, emphasizing their sensate presence while restructuring our readings of historical period and spatial orientation. Tansey paints using a subtractive process, first priming the canvas with gesso, then painting one section at a time and removing the light passages while the paint is still fluid.