exhibition news: shifting baselines at Keene Arts
shifting baselines: Ali Della Bitta and Drew Goerlitz
October 11th - November 10th
Opening reception: Friday, October 11, 5-8pm
Keene Arts
10881 Route 73
Keene, NY
Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm
Keene Arts presents “shifting baselines,” an exhibition that merges the individual studio practices of North Country based sculptors Ali Della Bitta and Drew Goerlitz.
The title “shifting baselines” references the continuous environmental degradation at local, regional, and global levels as referenced through ceramic, steel, wood, and photography. Without true knowledge or real experience of past ecological conditions, each new generation risks perceiving the environment they grow up in as what is normal. This exhibition toes the line between what we know and what might happen next.
"shifting baselines," unites Della Bitta and Goerlitz’s distinct yet shared artistic voices to explore how perceived boundaries between nature and human experience evolve over time. Della Bitta’s masterful ceramic based works reflect the intricate beauty of the Adirondack wilderness, while Goerlitz’s striking steel sculptures and photo-based installations ask viewers to confront the impact of human activity on the environment. Together, their works create a dialogue about the shifting challenges of what is considered “natural” in our ever-changing world—especially in the High Peaks. This exhibition invites viewers to reconsider their perceptions of landscape.
Accepting that the understanding of our world and our relationship to it is continually expanding, their artwork, often crafted from reclaimed materials, reflect a deep commitment to sustainability while capturing the transient nature of our surroundings.
Ali Della Bitta and Drew Goerlitz. Photo: Damian Battinelli
ALI DELLA BITTA “landscaping memory no. 015,” 2024, low fire clay, high fire stoneware, glaze, paper clay, underglaze, epoxy, 4.5L" x 4H” x 3.25W"
About Ali Della Bitta.
Ali Della Bitta is inspired by landscape ecosystems in flux and is specifically respondent to the increased of human impact on our natural spaces. During a residency at Art-St-Urban in Switzerland her work took a shift as she explored the Alps. Lichens and Alpine plants became a focus of research. This concern led to her researching endangered plants in the Alpine Region of the High Peaks in Northern New York State. This interest has inspired multiple excursions to our National Parks exploring Public Lands across the United States. Della Bitta’s current interests focuses on the relationship to our environment: how we shape landscapes as a species and how it shapes us in return. Landscape ecosystems are constantly changing through disturbances that are anthropogenic or caused by natural processes. We are seeing the impact of these changes in our planet on a large and small scale. Just as landscapes may be altered and restructured so can our memories. Memory of a smell, place, the flash of emotion that helps to shape us as people. The malleability of human memory, the construction and the loss all hold a place in this body of sculpture. External causes can change or erode the memories that help us navigate our day or help us identify the people we love. There is a correlation between the fragility of the human body and the fragility of our planet.
Ali Della Bitta received her BFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2003 and MFA from Purchase College in 2007. She has held teaching positions at Purchase College, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is currently Professor of Ceramics at SUNY, Plattsburgh. Della Bitta was Artist In Residence at art-st-urban, Switzerland from 2009-2018. Her work was included in the 46th edition of Art Basel, Switzerland in 2015, and in 2018 at Open 18 in Venice, Italy. She is a co-founder of Contemporary North, an entity that integrates art, architecture, and our nature by designing and building habitats that engage us with the environment.
Instagram: @a_lil_bitta
DREW GOERLITZ “Missing Landscape,” 2024, engineered wood products giclee print, 32L” x 24H” x 7W”
About Drew Goerlitz.
Drew Goerlitz is a distinguished sculptor and builder. A majority of his practice involves the use of steel, where Goerlitz harnesses the history and nomenclature of classical marble columns and gothic façades, transforming their accepted architecture and representing them into works that address our dynamic and contemporary times. Beyond the inspiration of architectural forms, Goerlitz has a deep respect for nature–exploring themes of environmental change and the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Never one to shy away from scale, Goerlitz draws inspiration from the rugged landscapes around him–especially the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks–evoking a sense of movement, balance, and energy, inviting viewers to engage with the materials and their stories.
Goerlitz received a BA from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2000 and an MFA in sculpture from University of Maryland in 2003. Since 2005, he has been on faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh. He has exhibited internationally earning acclaim for both his artistic vision and his commitment to sustainability and preservation. Goerlitz was Artist In Residence at art-st-urban from 2004-2018. In 2015 his work was featured in the 46th edition of Art Basel, Switzerland. He is a co-founder of Contemporary North, an entity that integrates art, architecture, and nature by designing and building habitats that engage us with the environment.
Instagram: @drewgoerlitzsculptor
About Keene Arts.
Keene Arts facilitates community conversation and initiatives to advance the arts in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks in upstate New York.
