UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Woskob Family Gallery is pleased to announce "A Letter Edged in Black 6: We’re Finally On Our Own," a solo exhibition by Pete Schulte, from April 27 to June 17. In his ongoing "A Letter Edged in Black" series, Schulte organizes works on paper next to in-situ wall drawings. The artist treats the gallery as a work in and of itself, incorporating its architectural idiosyncrasies into the site-specific drawings. There will be an opening reception 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 27.
Schulte’s work employs the language of abstraction, engaging with its potential to create meaning. In the work, colors are restricted to grey, black, and white. The palette — white flags of surrender and black flags of anarchy — is one of solemnity and punk rock. Small graphite, charcoal and gouache works on paper arrange fundamental shapes — squares, lines and x’s — reminiscent of flags or marks on maps. These shapes repeat in the wall drawings, but the shift in scale proposes alternative cross sections of the architecture itself.
In addition to the works on view, the gallery is offering a series of related programs. On Thursday, April 27, Schulte will give an artist’s talk at noon in 121 Borland. Kelsey Rieger, manager of the Art Alliance Downtown Gallery, will offer a guided conversation about the exhibition from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 11. Additionally, the gallery will host screenings of three films selected by Schulte, at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 25, June 8 and 15. For more information on these events and more, visit woskobfamilygallery.psu.edu/events.
Schulte lives and works in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Iowa in 1997 and 2008, respectively. His work has been exhibited recently at Whitespace Gallery, The Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Alabama, Beta Pictoris Gallery, and Jeff Bailey Gallery. Schulte has been an artist-in-residence at Yaddo, Hambidge, The Atlantic Center for the Arts, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, and Threewalls. With the artist Amy Pleasant, Schulte co-directs The Fuel & Lumber Company, a curatorial initiative facilitating exhibitions and related events in the Southeast and beyond.
The Woskob Family Gallery is a contemporary art space in downtown State College that brings a cohesive and carefully curated program of exhibitions and events to central Pennsylvania. Run by Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the gallery serves as a laboratory for exploring how the arts can catalyze creative placemaking. The Woskob Family Gallery is located at 146 South Allen Street.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, please contact Program Manager Haley Finnegan at hbs131@psu.edu or (814) 863-5353, or visit woskobfamilygallery.psu.edu.