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Peter Buchman “I’ve Got Her,” acrylic, aerosol, primer, Plexiglas on wood panel, 38” x 28”, 2023. COURTESY SARA NIGHTINGALE GALLERY
Sara Nightingale Gallery in Sag Harbor will present “Peter Buchman, the Writing on the Wall,” opening Saturday, May 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition will run through June 28.
Peter Buchman wants to tell you a story — in his words and yours. His text-based sculptural works appropriate commonly used phrases, idioms and logos from popular culture, which he strings together to form new narratives. Some of the works are lighthearted and jokey, while others utilize charged “inappropriate” words rendered in glossy letters, inviting viewers to reflect on their own use of language, particularly as it relates to “them” or “others.”
Americana nostalgia has always factored into Buchman’s sculptures and drawings, the passage of time being a recurring theme. Historical and vintage texts, from the U.S. Constitution to 1960s jazz posters and pulp fiction, have inspired his work. As culture evolves (or devolves) over time, Buchman questions how speech and language play a part in that. Whose voices are respected and heard? Who is silenced, and who is allowed to tell the stories of others? Buchman’s Voice-Over series suggests by its title that words are subject to revision and reinterpretation.
Sara Nightingale Gallery is at 26 Main Street, Sag Harbor. For details, visit saranightingale.com.
Staff Writer on May 22, 2023