PETERBUCHMAN
SOMETHING TO READ
Bio
Firmly rooted as a multidisciplinary artist with a representational pop-art focus, Peter Buchman’s (b. 1959 Jacksonville) mixed media paintings both provoke and entice your eye at any given moment. His roughed up surfaces of layered information along with the hidden ‘Art Brut’ immigrant portraits investigate deeply the mysteries of the world around him. He received a BFA from The Rhode Island School of Design, attended The Cortex Frontal one month Artist Residency in Arraiolos, Portugal in 2023, and participated in a six week Sculpture Residency at The School of Visual Arts, NY, 2010. Exhibited & collected extensively throughout the U.S. with solo shows at Kidder Smith Gallery, Boston, Ma; and The Vered Gallery, Easthampton, NY. Group exhibitions have included The Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE, Hong Kong Biennale, 2007, Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY., Montclair University Gallery, Montclair, N.J.,The Ball State University Gallery, Columbus Indiana and The Other Art Fair, Bristol, England . His exhibitions have been reviewed in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Southampton, Press. Buchman’s voice-over paintings can now be seen at DTR Modern in Palm Beach, FLA. and The Sara Nightingale Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY and The Jennifer Balcos Gallery, Atlanta, Ga. & Palm Beach.
Statement
Some thirty-five years ago I was seated on an uptown New York City bus literally daydreaming out of the window at the buildings, the shadows, light and at the many passersby. Seated in front of me were two young teenage girls returning home from school that afternoon. Suddenly one girl looked at the other and nonchalantly said, “I’d like to be shot twice just to see what death feels like.” That was the beginning of my investigation with Language.
I truly couldn’t believe my ears and I was dumbfounded. Did I really just hear that? At thirteen-fourteen would I ever imagine saying or thinking such a thing? Doubtful. I was, in that moment more than astonished, and my psyche was rattled. But why?
That memory has stuck with me on so many levels ever since. The audacity of that child’s comment pushed beyond mortal surprise and life’s boundaries. The courage of feelings tantalized me. The crazy stupidity in decision making has befuddled me and maybe even you now in this moment.
In revisiting her idea, it makes me consider the creative mind and the courage to challenge our time here without limits. Anything is possible if we just dare to pursue, maybe just a little bit, what is not real. This now is my creative practice.
I have reconsidered what challenging one’s self means personally and creatively. Being naive and illogical can be refreshing if it finds some meditative direction. At that moment my daydreaming coalesced with another person’s divinity. She taught me something very positive that only until recently did I have the courage to fully pursue. The idea of challenging oneself everyday and respecting time because it is our most valuable currency.
Of course I’m not looking to get shot, however I am seriously interested in being shocked, scared, burdened, overjoyed, frustrated and tested. Because feeling these spiritually engrossing emotions forces one to find solutions in response and that is very satisfying. The artistic process continues everyday with repetitive scratching, mark making, collaborating with others, far-off Art residencies and more daydreaming. I’d also like thank that teenager for waking me up to the unimaginable.
Collectors include: Howard Schultz, Nicole Miller, Beth Rudin Dewoody, Bill Maris, Ciara Denver Boyle & Peter Boyle, David Yurman, Kelly Wearstler and Gary Vaynerchuk.