Charles Kanwischer's exhibition 'Drawings' opens at Wolfe Gallery - Maumee Valley Zum Hauptinhalt springen

Charles Kanwischer’s exhibition ‘Drawings’ opens at Wolfe Gallery

| Maumee-TalFoto Maumee-Tal | Kunst

Maumee Valley Country Day School is pleased to announce a new art exhibition by Charles Kanwischer, titled “Drawings” The show is on display at the Wolfe Gallery Oct. 21 through Dec. 6. An artist reception is Nov. 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the gallery, where guests can meet Kanwischer and gain further insight into his creative process.

Kanwischer is a professor and director of the School of Art at Bowling Green State University. He brings his refined eye and dedication to observational art to this latest body of work. He has a bachelor of fine arts degree in printmaking from the University of Iowa and a master of fine arts degree in painting and printmaking from Yale University. His expansive career includes teaching at institutions such as Amherst College and Yale, and his artwork has been exhibited across the nation, including solo exhibitions at Ellen Miller Gallery in Boston, Brett Shaheen Contemporary in Cleveland, and the Dishman Museum of Art in Texas.

Charles Kanwischer

In “Drawings,” Kanwischer offers a fresh exploration of the everyday through the lens of his signature medium—meticulous graphite drawings on gesso board. His work captures the subtle traces of time and wear in structures that initially appear nondescript but reveal layers of complexity upon close examination. His technique, which builds images through hatches, stipples, and dots, is a direct reflection of his belief in the power of modesty. He describes his art as a study in paying attention to the world around us, an effort to capture the “humbling resistance to casual summarization” found in the quiet details of commercial buildings, aging walls, and architectural decay.

His artist statement sheds light on his fascination with “vernacular architecture”—the ordinary, often overlooked buildings that surround us. His interest in these worn surfaces is deeply influenced by the concept of “age value,” a term used by art historian Alois Riegl to describe the appreciation of objects for their visible passage through time. As Kanwischer explains, this aesthetic isn’t about nostalgia or decay, but rather about recognizing the creative potential in sites of mutability.

His drawings—executed in a chalk-based gesso that allows even the lightest pencil marks to stand out—are mounted on cradled panels, giving viewers a direct encounter with their material presence. These works challenge us to see the beauty in what might otherwise be dismissed as mundane.

Kanwischer’s art has been exhibited nationally in prestigious venues, including the Toledo Museum of Art, the Akron Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. His work is represented in numerous public and private collections, including the Yale University Art Gallery, Smith College Museum of Art, Progressive Insurance, and the Cleveland Clinic.

Exhibition Details:
Title: “Drawings” by Charles Kanwischer
Dates: Oct. 21-Dec. 6, 2024
Reception: Nov. 8, 2024, from 5:30-7 p.m.
Location: Wolfe Gallery, Maumee Valley Country Day School
For additional information: please contact Kevin Merrill at (419) 381-1313 or visit www.mvcds.org/wolfe.