RVH Fine Art presents an exhibition by Robert Lansden.

Robert Lansden’s multiple series of obsessive drawings appear divergent, however, his search for “a visual expression of the dialog between the finite and the infinite,” remains constant. Lansden’s strong curiosity about the nature of existence and the process of making are the motivation behind his work. He says, “Drawing is a way for me to find out what will happen, and more importantly how it will feel, if I repeat a specific mark, line or pattern.”

New Orleans has a rich history and culture of contradictions, where edges and boundaries that separate opposites are blurred, ambiguous, and vague–a result of the environment where the seasons can sometimes be indistinguishable. As a result, the perception of time decays and a potentially liberating timelessness emerges. This stillness is the inspiration and stimulation that spark the motivation for Lansden’s work.

Influenced by both Sol Lewitt and Agnes Martin, Lansden occupies a space somewhere between the two, reaching his own unique conclusion. His process begins with an algorithm, a set of instructions that details the production of each drawing. The algorithm changes with each series of works but always removes choice from the process. The intent is consistent repetition of the same mark but the irregularities and inconsistencies of his hand and the intrinsic qualities of the chosen medium result in “mistakes” so changes in the mark are inevitable, not intentional.

This act of trying to create sameness stands both as a metaphor for the environment in which the work is created and as a transitional space in which change naturally occurs. This duality of change and constant also acts as a metaphor for the experience of the finite and the infinite.

Robert Lansden, a native of Kentucky, received his BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 1989, a Master of Library Science from Palmer School of Library & Information Science in New York, NY in 1999 and an MFA from Tulane University, New Orleans in 2005. He lives and maintains his studio in New Orleans. This is his first solo exhibition with RHV Fine Art.