A rising star any which way you slice it - the work of Brooklyn based artist, Thomas Witte

A recent visit over to the Brooklyn Navy Yards, introduced me to new work by Thomas Witte.  At first, Witte's interest lay in stenciling. After graduating from Rutgers University, he traveled to Argentina, where he found himself drawn to the vibrant graffiti scene, and his time there solidified his interest in the technique.  However, in recent years, the artist's focus has shifted from mark making to the stencils themselves. Witte's subjects are culled from his Grandfather's collection of vintage photographs; images captured in a millisecond, often by an absent-minded, amateur eye.  The artist then painstakingly hand cuts his drawings with a x-acto knife, containing the transcribed image in one single sheet of A3 paper.  This process implies a certain fastidiousness but perhaps it is Witte's subconscious ability, which he describes as, "knowing when to end the line", that enables him to so successfully manipulate his material to convey the smallest shift in a reflection or gradient in a shadow.   This Spring, he exhibits in a group paper exhibition at Christopher Henry Gallery, New York, that opens May, 10 to June, 24. Go see this rising star in action!

 

"Untitled" (Motel), 2012,  22"x30", cut archival paper

Courtesy of the Artist

 

"Untitled" (China Town), 2011, 22'x30", cut archival paper 

Courtesy of the Artist