Touching the Void features abstract drawings and paintings by Utah-based artist Lydia Gravis, who uses physical mark making to empathically respond to the intangible human experiences of everyday life. A pop-up exhibition presented by Carper Contemporary in Ogden, Utah, Touching the Void features more than 20 pieces by Gravis that range from intimate drawings to dizzying compositions created with graphite, watercolor, ink or oil.
Touching the Void, Naming the Un-named 2, graphite, India ink on paper, 50 x 38"
“The art I make often stems from an empathic desire to respond to situations that I or others feel, but don’t necessarily understand,” says Gravis. “These situations may seem senseless, or tragic, but ultimately connect us to our collective experience of being human.”
Profound emotions such as grief, love and loss—or simply the daily overwhelm of navigating our contemporary world—are the seeds of inspiration for Gravis’ creative process. Colonies of lines, obsessive micro textures and abstract marks attempt to provide a visual language for these intangible ideas, which ultimately draws the artist into a meditative act of making. “Because I work abstractly, what inspires the work isn’t what it becomes,” explains Gravis. “I eventually relinquish my initial intention of control and it is with this surrender that an unpredictable creative process unfolds.” Ultimately driven by her desire for engagement, and sustained by the meditative act of making, Gravis hopes to pass on a sense of wonder and resonance to those who view the work. 
(Un)Re-fined, graphite, watercolor, oil stick on paper,48 x 38"
Renew 1, graphite on panel, 36 x 30"
As a pop-up gallery, Carper Contemporary occupies collaborative or borrowed spaces for ephemeral exhibitions and artist features. Touching the Void is presented in collaboration with The Argo House, an incubator for art and design professionals and a gathering space for Ogden’s creative community, which is rapidly expanding. Carper Contemporary’s recent curatorial projects aim to provide more outlets for experiencing contemporary art in Northern Utah, while ultimately expanding the landscape and pushing the boundaries of the commercial art market on a national level. Constantly evolving and always on the move, Carper Contemporary aims to inspire the next generation of art buyers while giving seasoned collectors new and exciting ways to purchase art and experience exhibitions.
Carper Contemporary pop-up
at The Argo House
529 25th Street • Ogden, UT 84401
(540) 290-4930 • www.carpercontemporary.com
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