The loose drawing style comes together in this pastel and charcoal drawing of a male nude figure. We see his highly defined muscular shoulders and arms in this beautifully simplistic drawing.
Christopher Ganz
Seated Man's Back
pastel and charcoal on grey paper
23h x 18w in
58.42h x 45.72w cm
CG0061
-ARTIST STATEMENT-
I depict my person in multiplicity with different selves representing dramatis
personae. My likeness is both implicit and symbolic in the portrayal of my
narrative; the drama involved in creating art and the artist’s role in society. I
use realism to invite the viewer into mysterious inner worlds that are layered
reflections of the outer. Dehumanizing environments are imbued with art
historical references as a critique of power structures. The artist is an
Everyman who is at odds with society and his self.
Visually my work is a celebration of society’s dark undercurrents and its
overlooked absurdities. I use charcoal and printmaking media as their
tenebrous values add a fitting metaphor. The nuances of light and shadow
seduce viewers into a world their better judgment would have them avoid.
This provokes a sense of disquietude that causes viewers to assess our world
through the austerity of a colorless, yet not humorless, light.
-BIO-
Christopher Ganz grew up in Northeast Ohio and from early on had a fertile imagination and an interest in art. Christopher's artistic education truly began at the University of Missouri, where his love of the human form led to many figure drawing classes and his exposure to the wonders of printmaking. Christopher's then went onto graduate school at Indiana University and a summer abroad program in Italy was a dream realized. Christopher then grasped charcoal with a renewed vigor and large, sfumato-laden drawings ensued. Christopher's artistic influences are many; from a seminal exposure to Dore's engravings of the Divine Comedy, to Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Goya, and up to Lucian Freud, Mark Tansey, and Michael Mazur. Christopher is now an associate professor of printmaking and drawing at Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne. Christopher drawings are represented by Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago, and he shows his prints across the nation.
-CV-
EDUCATION
MFA 2001 Printmaking Indiana University-Bloomington
BFA 1995 Drawing and Printmaking University of Missouri-Columbia
TEACHING/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2002-13 Associate Professor, Printmaking and Drawing
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Fort Wayne, IN
2002 Adjunct Professor: Lithography (instructor of record)
Indiana University-Bloomington
1998-00 Associate Instructor: Beginning Drawing (instructor of record)
Indiana University-Bloomington
1998 Artist’s Assistant, Assisted Distinguished Professor Emeritus Rudy Pozzatti in
the production of an intaglio edition, Bloomington, IN
SOLO OR SMALL GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2013 Multiplicities: Drawings and Prints by Christopher Ganz, Franklin College, Franklin, IN
Feb. 5 – Feb. 21
2012 Dramatis Personae: Drawings and Prints by Christopher Ganz,
University of South Carolina-Columbia, Jan 16. – Feb. 16, 2012
2011 Christopher Ganz; Prints and Drawing
Hendrix College, Hendrix, Arkansas, March 5 - 18
2009 Fall Season Exhibition, six drawings displayed
Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago. Oct 16 – Nov. 24
South Bend Museum of Art Biennial 25 - regional juried exhibition for artists in all media,
six large drawings displayed; 14 artists selected from over 200 submissions; May 30-Aug. 23
Juror: William Lieberman, Director of Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago
2007 Christopher Ganz: Drawings, The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center
Covington, KY, March 9 - April 6
Alter Egos: Drawings and Prints by Christopher Ganz
Trisolini Gallery, Ohio University, Athens, OH, Jan. 9 - Feb.17
2005 The Two-Way Mirror: Self - Portraits by Christopher Ganz
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN, Aug.20 - Oct. 23
2004 Works on Paper: Christopher Ganz and Paul Schumann
Robert E. Wilson Gallery, Huntington College, Huntington, IN, Sept. 2 - 25
2002 Images by Christopher Ganz - Visual Arts Gallery
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, Sept. 3 – Oct. 11
2001 M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition - School of Fine Arts Gallery
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, March 27 - April 7
SELECTED ADJUDICATED OR INVITATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012
International Expositions of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) Chicago, Drawing,
“The Initiation” on display in Ann Nathan Gallery space, Nov. 2-4
Reverse Watching...