Brooklyn-based artist Chas David refers to his unique fusion of painting, bas-relief sculpture and woodworking as “Dramatic Uptown Urban,” an appropriate moniker for his pieces which marry skyline views of iconic buildings with the textures and tones of the streets. The base layer for these clever assemblages is always plywood, a utilitarian material that Chas transforms through carving, cutting, nailing, drilling and painting with bold acrylic tones. The resulting pieces have many superimposed layers.
The iconic bricks of New York City architecture are a favorite motif, and appear as both painted patterns and sculpted textures. These rigid, rectilinear forms stand in sharp contrast to the human and natural forms that Chas deploys to convey a more organic, even wild sense of the city. Textured lettering and patterns nearly camouflaged beneath the acrylic add another dimension to the works, catching the light as viewers move around a piece. Chas David presents the city through a multifaceted and subtle aesthetic that is at once intuitive and full of surprises.