Number 35 is pleased to present an exhibition of works by Gary Rough. Rough’s work is a quietly poignant compilation of ideas, thoughts and references that add up to an investigation on the vulnerability of the individual when confronted with the other and the world.

In this exhibition, Rough has covered the gallery walls with every page of Orwell’s 1984. The dystopian plot lays the groundwork for the art on display: hearts drawn with nail polish, grids that are submissive to systematic structure yet disruptive of their uniformity, motorcycle mirrors clustered to resemble wings. Contemplative works such as a “black” photograph and a family portrait cutout populated with mirrors punctuate the installation’s narrative. These insinuate a kind of halcyon sad sack quality, but the humor and reference is very specific. Layered, the two reveal both sides of the same medal.

Rough works in different media, including neon signs and video. His compulsion in looking for different inputs takes him to investigate in possibilities that can open to the infinite. He deals with deconstructed ideas that aren’t easy to reconstruct and articulate. Rough’s work is relatable because he speaks in the language of the subconscious, words and symbols that exist in the in-between spaces of our everyday lives, yet are eloquent all on their own. These esoteric fragments evoke a romantic irony that contradicts and compliments the scattered novel underneath.