Nathan Catlin
Brooklyn, NY
ARTIST STATEMENT
I
make paintings and prints depicting narratives and allegories I construct to
explore human interactions, cause and effect, and morality. I create
images in order to explore interpersonal relationships. Through the production
of images, I question the motivations, actions, and reactions of the characters
I invent. I am interested in people and the ways in which we communicate,
interact, and express ourselves.
Deeply invested in the history of figuration, I reference the work of old masters, classical paintings, comic books, and tattoos. I work figuratively to explore deeper aspects of humanity that can be perceived through the figure and action. Each composition alludes to a before and after, and sometimes the works conceptually connect to create a more complex narrative. Many times I use animals or objects as substitutions for “the other” when contemplating social issues, or as a way to create a more obvious distance between characters for the viewer. The figures in the works are usually life sized or larger in order to give the viewer more of a feeling of a passive participation in the event. The works allow the viewer to empathize with who is depicted, or project their personal feelings or desires onto the characters I create.
In addition to printmaking and painting, I also work in ceramics, murals, glass tile mosaics, and stained glass.
Deeply invested in the history of figuration, I reference the work of old masters, classical paintings, comic books, and tattoos. I work figuratively to explore deeper aspects of humanity that can be perceived through the figure and action. Each composition alludes to a before and after, and sometimes the works conceptually connect to create a more complex narrative. Many times I use animals or objects as substitutions for “the other” when contemplating social issues, or as a way to create a more obvious distance between characters for the viewer. The figures in the works are usually life sized or larger in order to give the viewer more of a feeling of a passive participation in the event. The works allow the viewer to empathize with who is depicted, or project their personal feelings or desires onto the characters I create.
In addition to printmaking and painting, I also work in ceramics, murals, glass tile mosaics, and stained glass.
BIO
Nathan Catlin is originally from Southern California and received his BFA from San Francisco Art Institute and his MFA from Columbia University. He works primarily with the figure and is interested using allegory to explore societal structures which include culture, race, gender, and morality. He works primarily in printmaking, painting, and ceramics. Catlin has shown nationally and internationally and is represented by Davidson Gallery in NYC. He is also a professor and master printer in NYC. He currently lives in works in Brooklyn, NY.