Of his antecedents, artists employing a limited palette, the list is long. Dever might best be allied
to Agnes Martin, Robert Ryman, and Brice Marden. His work is all his own, a yoga devotee,
Dever’s art runs parallel to his yogic practice and study. His examinations of color and form
dovetail seamlessly into the artist’s apprehension of material nature as described in Samkyha
philosophy. Painting exclusively with black, red and white for over 10 years, his palette
represents qualities that bind all of existence. !
“Over time, I have come to associate this palette with shifting qualities of weight, energy, and
lightness, which are embodied in the rose paintings; some feel like carved stone, others
explosive or very light. The starting point for this group of paintings, both in its essence, genus,
was a rose from my garden, which I deconstructed, letting the energetic qualities of color, line,
and form emerge.”
Eric Dever (born, Los Angeles, 1962) studied painting and critical theory at NYU/Steinhardt,
MA’88. Dever’s work since the early 1990’s has been exhibited throughout the United States
and in France. Recently, he had one artist exhibitions at Berry Campbell Gallery in New York
and New York University, including painting acquisitions by the Grey Art Gallery, New York
University Art Collection; The Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill, New York; and Guild Hall
Museum, East Hampton, New York. Dever is represented by Berry Campbell Gallery.
Website
http://ericdever.com
