Jim Lee Jamie Powell Michael Scoggins Carmen Tiffany

2×4: A timber measuring 2×4 inches in cross section when untrimmed: equivalent to 1 5/8 by 3 5/8 inches when trimmed. It’s a common construction material, a standard unit, a building block in an almost molecular level. Ubiquitous, common, lowbrow, it’s the material of the laborer. Jimmy Carter uses them to build houses. Termites gnaw holes into them. They warp when wet. You can also beat a person to death with one.

Each artist uses common material, vernacular imagery, slang, with a workman’s sensibility, to explore volatile, profane, and physical experiences. Individually they address the inherent meaning in their chosen material while investing in personal histories and their own experiences. 2×4: 4 artists with 2 works each.

Curated by Joe Nanashe