Meridian Gallery

Regarding Configurations: Dennis Parlante and Matt Gonzalez presents recent collage pieces by two San Francisco-based artists. This exhibition offers collage as an experience for contemplation. Taking the time to navigate through individual works, either through repetition or attention, transforms both understanding and appreciation of the collage.

Dennis Parlante creates mixed media collage. Using vintage materials such as letters, postal envelopes, tags, and ephemera of all kinds, he works with the relationship “between old and new, spontaneous and deliberate.” While his lyrical images hint at nostalgia, Parlante complicates the signification of aged letters, foreign languages, and historical ledgers by both sensitively and boldly deleting the full referent with ink, paint, and graphite. Parlante has exhibited most recently at Modernism, SF; Washington Square East Galleries, NY; and Art Basel, Miami.

Matt Gonzalez’ collage is in both paper and wood. Gonzalez work with found paper collected throughout the day and the city, making work that becomes witness to life in San Francisco: transfer tickets, exhibition cards, matchbooks, paperbacks, and product packaging. His paper collages are primarily monochromatic, ranging from pale variations of white and grey to bold statements of black, green or yellow. A selection of recent wood works will also be shown. Gonzalez is an attorney, writer, and former politician. He has been exhibiting since 2006, most recently at Guerrero Gallery, SF; The Bold Italic, LA; and Jack Fischer Gallery, SF.