ROBERT BIRMELIN
the end of certainty
Since 1960 Robert Birmelin has observed, worked, and exhibited his provocative
paintings and drawings in New York City.
In the end of certainty, Birmelin’s scenes feel specific yet carry a universal unease. The
confusion and chaos of protests and uprisings, as well as the plight and
disappearance of blue-collar work, provide his subject matter. The tension that exists
between those who act and those who watch from afar is palpable. Birmelin is
depicting people, caught in a tide of change they are incapable of riding and helpless
to prevent. These changes ensnare us all.
Grounded in basic, but very real fear of a world rendered strange, nothing is a given,
and there is no higher power to protect us. While Birmelin’s paintings do at times
imply that there is someone in control, this thought is not reassuring.
Dates: 17 September – 29 October 2016
Reception: Saturday 17 September 3 – 5 pm
www.luiserossgallery.com