Perry Rubenstein Gallery presents a dialogue between London- based artist Luke Dowd and Berlin-based artist Anja Schwörer.

Alchemy, cosmic vibrations, transitional energy fields and the reflection/ refraction of light are catalysts that inform the discourse for the exhibition. Riffing on formalist issues, Dowd and Schwörer overlap philosophies of mathematics with perspectives of abstraction through their geometric compositions.

Anja Schwörer synthesizes a diverse interplay between construction and deconstruction through the use of batik and/or bleaching in her surfaces. Drawing upon her strong interest in heavy metal music, Schwörer chemically alters materials, including black velvet, denim and canvas, that are later stretched to form enigmatic facades. Esoteric and celestial entities manifest themselves through the material process of deletion, lending a metaphysical interpretation to the altered surfaces. Often these works become over-painted with geometric constructions, creating a tension between the matrixes and their arcane backgrounds.

The radiating lines and forms seen within Luke Dowd’s constructivist works suggest concentrations of energy while referencing the refractive and dispersion indexes of light. His spray-painted surfaces feature spontaneous grids with illogical planes of space and gradient shifts. Dowd’s gem paintings also embody similar relationships of power in their allusions to the alchemists’ pursuit of the ‘Philosopher’s Stone.’ The ironic implications of spiritual hidden truths, entities and transformations transcend an orthodox gem nomenclature, revealing a sense of occultism within the works.

Anja Schwörer attended the National Academy of the Forming Arts in Karlsruhe, Germany and has shown extensively throughout Europe including exhibitions at Gallery Hammelehle and Ahrens, Cologne and Andreas Huber, Vienna. This will be her first U.S. exhibition. Schwörer lives and works in Berlin.

Luke Dowd was born in New York City and received his MFA from Chelsea College of Art & Design, London. Dowd has participated in various international exhibitions including shows at Hotel, London and John Connelly Presents, New York. Dowd lives and works in London.