Jan Baracz works in many media but considers himself a sculptor. Employing images, objects and the activation of public space, he engages our perception of forms and underlying patterns. The picture frame that forms a labyrinth, the image of a porn star in which pixels are mapped out by an arrangement of 196 Rubik’s cubes, the pedestal that elevates a drain, the portrait of a light switch that turns on the bulb which in turn illuminates the portrait, the shapes that emerge from a sequence of a deliberately fractured tiles: all of these works have a secret twist. The tension between what we initially notice and what is actually there resonates through our encounter with his art.

Jan Baracz moved to New York from Poland in 1981, originally studying film before deciding to dedicate himself to fine art. He completed his M.F.A. in sculpture at Bard College 1999 and took part in the Whitney independent study program in 1998. He has exhibited widely in New York and Europe, including P.S.1/Clocktower Gallery, The Brooklyn Museum, and Basel International Art Fair.