Joseph Shetler: In Pursuit of Nothing
Presented in partnership with Caitlin Berry Fine Art
January 22 - March 5, 2022
open to the public Saturdays from 11 am - 2 pm
In collaboration with Culture House, Caitlin Berry Fine Art is delighted to present Joseph Shetler: In Pursuit of Nothing, featuring paintings on panel. The exhibition is viewable through March 5, 2022, on Saturdays from 11 am – 2 pm and by appointment. Additional programming will be announced during the course of the exhibition.
The exhibition’s title, In Pursuit of Nothing, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fundamental right "pursuit of happiness" asserted in the Declaration of Independence. Shetler observes that the pursuit of happiness in modern society is quite often distorted into the pursuit of wealth and ultimately rejects this equivocation. The pursuit of nothing is his answer to today’s insidious greed and individualism.
““To pursue nothing is to have the objectivity to recognize what brings true happiness despite the unrelenting bombardment of the aesthetics of happiness according to pop culture, workplace culture, advertising, and corporations.””
The quiet elegance of Shetler’s work speaks to this pursuit of objectivity on a spiritual plane. Looking toward Frank Stella’s 1959 black paintings and the muted white and pale-hued works of Robert Ryman and Agnes Martin in the 1960s, Shetler defines his own material vocabulary and lexicon of lines. While his grids on monochrome media hearken to traditional Mennonite quilt patterns, these grids have become more of a reflection of himself as a whole than of the quilting tradition. His output is less influenced by the ideals of others.
Through this exhibition, Shetler offers viewers space for objectivity and grace in a world rife with meaningless metrics against which we measure our worth.
““Creating works about ‘nothing’ or the non-objective nature of the work holds space for me to gain proper perspective. The labor of drawing, the craft of drawing, and the materials I use bring me joy.””
About the Artist
Joseph Shetler (American, b. 1984) is an American post-minimalist artist. He approaches post-minimalism with a Mennonite lens, basing his aesthetic off of ana-baptist theology and simple way of life as well as art history. Shetler has exhibited nationally at The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Step Gallery in Phoenix, AZ, Goshen College, IN, and internationally at Dr. J Art Projects in Berlin, Germany. His work is included in the collection of Arizona State University and Hesston College and in private collections globally. He was educated at Hesston College (A.A. 2004), Goshen College (B.A. 2006), and Arizona State University (M.F.A. 2014). He lives in Hyattsville, MD.
About Caitlin Berry Fine Art
Caitlin Berry Fine Art is a full-service art advisory firm based in the Washington, DC area. Berry specializes in Post-War American, Washington Color School, and Contemporary Art.
The gallery is open to the public from January 22 to March 5, 2022, and is open to the public each Saturday from 11 am – 2 pm and by appointment. For the safety of our community and staff, all staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask. A maximum of ten visitors will be allowed at a time and must sign in before entering the gallery.