Exhibition Dates: October 7 – October 28, 2017
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 7 from 6–9 pm, in conjunction with Art for Arts’ Sake
Gallery Location: 432 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5 pm
Contact Info: 504.522.1999; arthurrogergallery.com
The Arthur Roger Gallery is pleased to present Crossing, an exhibition of work by Ralph Bourque. The exhibition will be on view at Arthur Roger Gallery, located at 432 Julia Street, from October 7 – October 28, 2017. The gallery will host an opening reception with the artist in attendance on Saturday, October 7 from 6-9pm, in conjunction with Art for Arts’ Sake.
52 x 70 inches
Crossing is Ralph Bourque’s first exhibition with the gallery and includes four large-scale ink drawings on paper. The meticulous landscape chronicles represent the passing of a day – loosely referencing dawn, noon, dusk and midnight, which the artist likens to the cycle of artistic creation.
Bourque was raised in a small farming community near Avery Island. The primary subject of his work stems from his appreciation of nature and devotion to gardening and animal husbandry. In addition to presenting a hyperrealistic representation of the natural world, Bourque’s work also explores the connection between nature, time and loss. The artist describes this metaphysical semblance as revealing that we are a part of nature, and “as such, when we observe it, we observe ourselves. We also inscribe ourselves upon it, and it carries on in our memories.” The recent works in this exhibition also explore how nature, time and artistic application work to provide solace in times of grief.
The medium of black ink on white paper allows Bourque to explore the interplay of darkness and light. He often adjusts the value of the foreground, middle ground, and background of his works resulting in the interchangeability of positive and negative spaces, and thus, unexpected visual outcomes.
Ralph Bourque was born in New Iberia, LA in 1968. He received his B.F.A. from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1995, and his M.F.A. from Pratt Institute in New York in 1998. He also attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Bourque worked in the fashion design industry in New York City where he also received artist support grants from the Elizabeth Foundation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation. His work has been exhibited nationally and he was a featured artist in the New Orleans art biennial, Prospect.1.5. Bourque is an award-winning teacher who has been affiliated with the Lafayette Parish School System since 2005. He lives and works in Lafayette, LA.