Mamaroneck, NY - The Bullseye New York Gallery presents a solo exhibition of new work by Michael Endo. Cosmic Pessimism will be on view June 7 - September 10, 2016.
Eugene Thacker describes cosmic pessimism as, "a strange mysticism of the world without us... It is the difficult thought of the world absolutely unhuman, and indifferent to the hopes, desires, and struggles of human individuals and groups." This thought is the starting point for the body of work in Michael Endo's first solo exhibition at the Bullseye Resource Center New York Gallery. Using kilnformed glass, cast glass, found objects, and oil paint, Endo creates atmospheric paintings and sculptures that conjure a world where the familiar becomes unfamiliar.
Exodus (2013) depicts two figures running from a wooded area between a house under construction and another that is being demolished. "I'm intrigued by alternative communities, the relationship between space and psychology, occult knowledge, eschatology, ecology, and the uncanny," says Endo. "By depicting the boundary between a wild space and the city, I am able to create scenes where my interests converge." In Crux (2016) a fallen tree haphazardly leans against another, creating a cross configuration. "My recent work is centered on unexpected formations in the environment," explains Endo. "These forms are innocuous and random, yet gain importance as we begin to assign meaning to them. Similar to reading tea leaves, the interpretation of yarrow stalks, or some forms of pareidolia, the act speaks to our desire to find meaning in mundane occurrences."
Michael Endo earned an MFA in painting from Cranbrook Acedemy of Art, Michigan, in 2009 and a BA from Portland State University, Oregon, in 2005. His work has been exhibited internationally in both group and solo exhibitions. In 2011 Endo was the recipient of a Regional Arts and Culture Council Grant and was a finalist for the Seattle Art Museum's Betty Bowen Award. In 2015 Endo was the University of Sunderland's first Emerging Artist-in-Residence at the National Glass Center. Endo lives and works in Portland, Oregon.