HALSEY MCKAY GALLERY

---

Halsey Mckay Gallery is thrilled to present a new suite of paintings by Ted Gahl in our viewing room. Free from a singular signature style, Gahl explores the possibility of what painting has been throughout history and what it can do in the present. He works in series that range from wildly experimental sculptural assemblages made of sprawling materials to tightly focused subjects repeated on canvas, painted with a brush. Influences and comparisons can be drawn to artists as varied as Blinky Palermo, Milton Avery, and Arthur Dove. On this newest series of paintings, an essay written by the Los Angeles based artist Julian Hoeber examines a comparison to Edvard Munch’s The Scream and the Lumière Brothers’  L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat. The lone figure in transit has long been a point of departure for Gahl as in his Commuter works begun in the mid-aughts. Here we have six new Passenger paintings at a time when we find ourselves mostly confined to our own homes and nearby environments.

Ted Gahl – Passenger Paintings  is now closed.
INQUIRE HERE for currently available works.

---

JULIAN HOEBER on TED GAHL

Figurative painting struggles to tell stories. The static, single-frame painted image historically relied on the viewer knowing something about the depicted event before they ever stood in front of the image. Once movies came around, the game was up. Painters still try of course, but narratives involve time—at least minutes, often years— and it’s nearly impossible to get that kind of time into a painting.

---

I mention this because Ted Gahl’s train station paintings, though scarcely narrative, manage to take up an awful lot of time. They turn the clock backwards: the paintings look like the end of the 19th Century. They have a softness of form while still being representational that gives off a whiff of Post-Impressionism, and they’re pictures of trains, the quintessential technology of that period, when human desire and thought were compared to the locomotive as they are now to the computer. The paintings look like Munch’s The Scream with the single figure in mid-foreground suspended in deep single point perspective, and they resonate with the Northern Romantic tradition that links Munch to Caspar David Friederich and the struggle of a lone person confronted by the vastness of the world.

---

That train and that deep perspective also point to the moment at the beginning of the 19th C. when narrative painting seemed to crumble. Three years after Munch painted The Scream, the Lumière Brothers screened their film L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat, showing a single-point perspective view of a train entering a station. One of the earliest motion pictures, the legend of this film is that audiences fled from the screen thinking it was a real train. Gahl’s painting then depicts this moment: painting reaching ambitiously for emotional power through the isolated figure and expressive color, and also finding the end of a certain kind of usefulness for itself. We see the figure waiting for the train that’s just a speck of light at the horizon. If the Lumières’ train ever gets into the station, it’ll be the beginning of the end for narrative painting.

---

The time in Gahl’s paintings depends on the key moment never arriving. The train never gets there. Instead, the event is replaced with seriality. The painting is made over and over. Different colors and marks and surfaces shift the emotional tenor, each time a reconsideration of the affect of the experience in the station. Looking at the group of them is like wondering what it will feel like when the train finally arrives, and trying to recognize one’s feelings in that moment just before possibility is exhausted.

—Julian Hoeber, Los Angeles. August, 2020.

---

---

---

---

TED GAHL
b.1983
Lives and works in Connecticut

EDUCATION
2010 M.F.A. Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
2006 B.F.A. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Paintings, Alexander Berggruen, New York, NY
Suet Paintings/Smoker By Window, Y2k Group, New York, NY
2019 Lamu, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2017 Towers, Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Mind Reels, Halsey McKay Gallery, New York, NY
Beaumont Sur Mer, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, NY
Lights, Towards Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada
2016 Ted Gahl, Galleri Jacob Bjorne, Aarhus, Denmark
New Jersey Devils, One River School, Englewood, NJ
Hibernation Anxiety, Retrospective, Hudson, NY
2015Ted Gahl, Halsey McKay at NADA, New York, NY
The Commuter, Mier Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014Three Twains, Roads, A Beauty, Zach Feuer Gallery, New York, NY
Norfolk Road, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Sundays (Like the Brightest Light in the Theatre Shining on an Empty Stage), Dodge Gallery, New York, NY
La Brosse du Peintre, Cooper Cole Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Poignancy Point, CALENDAR CALENDAR, Albuquerque, NM
2013Gin Blossoms, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, New York
2011 Ted Gahl, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Night Painter, Dodge Gallery, New York, NY
Ted Gahl, Curated by 62nd Dimension, Green Gallery West, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2010 New Painthings, Ted Gahl/Tatiana Berg, Nudashank, Baltimore, Maryland
2008 Ted Gahl: Winner By Default, Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon, Connecticut

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Woof of the Sun, Ethereal Gauze, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2019 Nostos, Matthew Brown Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Freddy’s World, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Wildernesses, Peninsula Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
The Burn Show, Safe Gallery at Folly Tree Arboretum, East Hampton, NY
Ramblin’ Round, Stonehouse Art Projects, Cortland, NY
Highlight/The Highline, organized by Paul Efstathiou, Hollis Taggart, New York, NY
The Crystal Ship, organized by Jessica Williams, INSECT, Los Angeles,CA
2018 Oyster, Galerie Jacob Bjorn, Aarhus, Denmark
From Out Under, curated by Matthew Brown and Lucien Smith, Appointment Only, Los Angeles, CA
As If A Field Could Become Some Dream, curated by Brian Scott Campbell, No Place Gallery/Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH
After Exit, organized by Chadwick Gibson and Derek Paul Jack Boyle, Smart Objects, Landers, CA
Bech Risvig Collection, Vestjyllands Kunstpavillion, Videbaek, Denmark
Set Adrift on Memory Bliss, curated by Tessa Perutz, Pablo’s Birthday, New York, NY
WunderKammer, curated by Kristian Touborg and Soren Serj, KH7 Artspace, Aaarhus, Denmark
2017 FFFFFiguration, curated by Jonathan Chapline, Never Gallery, Gothenburg, Sweden
For Lack of Better Words, curated by Zeb Mayer, Washington Art Association, Washington, CT
We Are the Ones, Curated by Galina Munroe, Simon Ganshorn and Jordan Kerwick, Carlsberg Byrons Galleri, Copenhagen, Denmark
2016 Bill & Ted, Bill Adams & Ted Gahl, Freddy, Harris, NY
Character, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Flat Fix curated by Ryan Steadman and Ryan Wallace, CODE, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Fool, curated by Westminster Waste, Rod Barton, London, England
Feedback of Desire, Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Hightight: Summer One, curated by Paul Efstathio, Hollis Taggart Gallery, New York, NY
2015 Just a Snootful: Katherine Bradford and Ted Gahl, curated by Brad Hadjak, TB Projects, Provincetown, MA
Baudrillard’s America, Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago, IL
Suddently Last Summer, Longhouse Projects, New York, NY
The Negative Hand, Anonymous Gallery, Ciudad de México, D.F.
New Digs, Ober, Kent, CT
Freedom Culture, curated by Graham Collins, The Journal, Brooklyn, NY
; – ), V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Works on Paper, Hunted Projects, Tilburg, Netherlands
2014 Ghost Current, curated by Ryan Wallace, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lines Like Legs: Ted Gahl/Gregory Kalliche, FJORD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
All A Tremulous Heart Requires, curated by Brad Hajzak, Zieher Smith Gallery, New York, NY
Volatile, Galleri Jacob Bjørn, Aarhus, Denmark
Brushcrusher, 353 West 48th Street, New York, New York
Mental Furniture, organized by Petrella’s Imports, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Your General Store, organized by Jason Middlebrook, Santa Fe Biennial, Santa Fe, NM
Marquee Moon, Thierry Goldberg, New York, NY
Positivilly Marvillanous, Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, NY
Don’t Look Now, curated by 247365, Zach Feuer, New York, NY
That’s the Neighbor, Always Dressing These Boulders in the Yard, curated by Torey Thornton, Suzanne Geiss Company, New York, NY
Dazed and Confused, Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Collection Gilles Balmet, Centre d’art contemporain de la ville de Fontaine/ École Supérieure d’Art et Design, Grenoble/Valence, France (catalogue)
I’m Jealous of Your Failures, curated by Trew Schriefer, UIS Galleries, Springfield, IL
The Age of Small Things, curated by Chuck Webster, Dodge Gallery, New York, NY
2013 Multiple/Universal, Storefront Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY
Bathers, curated by Ryan Schneider, Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York, NY
Storytellers and Mystics, ACNY, Brooklyn, NY
Space Whole Karaoke, Middlemarch, Brussels, Belgium
Ciudad Saudade, Architectures of Memory, Reverse, Brooklyn, NY
Common Objects, David Shelton Gallery, Houston TX
2012Habeas Corpus, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Temperature, Projekt 722, Brookklyn, NY
Caravan, CBG, Cornwall Bridge, CT
Epiphanic Glow, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, NY
Where My Cones At?, curated by Ryan Travis Christian, Double Break, San Diego, CA
Black Foliage, curated by Matthew Craven, 48 Bowery, New York, NY
Daphne, curated by Liam Thomas Holding, Fjord Space, Philadelphia, PA
Size Matters, Dodge Gallery, New York, NY
The Final Frontier, curated by Matt Jones, The Atlantic Conference, Brooklyn, NY
These Friends Three, THIS, Los Angeles, CA
Once Emerging, Now Emerging: The Vistation, Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980, curated by Aaron Wrinkle and Jean Milant, Cirrus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Gucci, Center, Milaukee, WI
2011 Paper Chasers, Nudashank, Baltimore, MD
Collaborations, curated by Ryan Travis Chrisitan, Western Projects, Chicago, IL
Chain Letter, Samson, Boston, MA
Word Problem, Active Space, Brooklyn, NY
Shakedown, Dodge Gallery, New York, New York
Directional Float, Curated by Brian Maller and Ashley Zelinskie, Curbs and Stoops, Brooklyn, New York
Out of Practice, Curated by Nudashank, Presented by Art Blog Art Blog, New York, New York
Not The Way You Remembered, Curated by Jamillah James, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York
West, Wester, Westest, Pt.2, Curated by Ryan Travis Christian, FFDG, San Francisco, California
Color Me Bad: Joshua Abelow, Brian Michael Dunn, Ted Gahl, and Hugh Scott Douglas, Nudashank, Baltimore, Maryland
An Exchange with Sol LeWitt, Curated by Regine Basha, Mass MOCA, North Adams, Massachusetts
Tompkins Projects West: Works on Paper, Dan Graham Gallery in collaboration with Tompkins Projects, NYC, Los Angeles, California
2020, Curated by May Wong, Above Second Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2010 The Power of Selection 3, Curated by Ryan Travis Christian, Western Exhibitions, Chicago, Illinois
Class Projects/Absolute Sellout, Partners and Spade, New York, New York
If I Jump Off A Bridge, Will You Follow Me?, Collaborative Magazine, Edinburgh Arts Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland
Ten Years Hunting, Parker’s Box Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
Power to the People, Feature Inc., New York, New York
Face on the Bar Room Floor, Curated by Laura Swanson and Colin Williams, Gelman Gallery, Chace Center, Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, Providence, Rhode Island
Untitled, Curated by Kristen Dodge , Black Sheep Projects, Providence, Rhode Island
Postcards From the Edge, Visual AIDS Benefit, Zieher Smith, New York
2009 OutAuction, GLAAD Benefit , Metropolitan Pavilion, New York
NotAbstract 1, Parker’s Box Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
FamJam, Group magazine show Curated by Lauren Mackler, In collaboration w/ Waiting Room gallery, Artfair ULTRA002, Omotesando, Tokyo
New Goth Paintings, Zuriel Waters, Jennifer Lee, Ted Gahl, Art Johnson Projects, Providence, Rhode Island
Impossible Exchange, Organized by Brina Thurston, Curated by Filipa Oliveira and Miguel Amado. Frieze Art Fair, London, England
Chromatose, Curated by Erik Parker, Nudashank, Baltimore, Maryland
Crit 4, Curated by Holly Hughes w/ guest speaker Robert Bordo, The Spencertown Academy, Spencertown, NY ONE NATION (UNDERGOD?), Curated by Sara E. E. Young, Gelman gallery, Chace Center, Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, Providence, Rhode Island
2008 Painting Department Group Show, Rhode Island School of Design, Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence, Rhode IslandReal Party, Real Art Ways ,Hartford, Connecticut
BPF 2, Transmissions Gallery, Berkeley, California
2006 Big Paper Faces, Curator, participating artist, and builder, 2232, Oakland, California
Pratt Senior Show, Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York
2005 Food Chain, Curated by the Brooklyn Art Collective, Built gallery, New York, New York

BIBLIOGRAPHY
2019 Pillardy, Piotr, “Getting Lost In the Wildernesses at Peninsula Art Space”, Red Hook Star Review, August 3, 2019
2015 Steadman, Ryan, “The Body Is Back at the 2015 NADA Art Fair”, NY Observer, 5.15.2015
Indrisek, Scott, “Delusional Shopping at NADA NY”, Artinfo, 5.14.2015
Freeman, Nate, “NADA Art Fair: A Debate”, Vulture, 5.15.2015
Gottschalk, Molly, “Emerging Artists Hang With Top Collectors at NADA’s Best Edition Yet”, ARTSY 5.15.2015
2014 Bell, Joshua, “Lines Like Legs – Ted Gahl and Gregory Kalliche at FJORD”, theartblog.org, August
Indrisek, Scott, “5 Must-See Gallery Shows”, Artinfo, July
Indrisek, Scott, “10 Must-See Summer Group Shows”, Artinfo, July
Hassell, Matthew, “One Burning Question with Ted Gahl”, NYARTS, July
Artspace Editors,“Our Guide to New York City’s Hottest Summer Shows”, Artspace, July
Indrisek, Scott, “Ted Gahl Offers Further Proof That Painting Ain’t Dead Yet,” BlackBook, February
Micchelli, Thomas, “Points of Contact: Small Works, Giant Steps,” Hyperallergic, February
Ebstein, Alex, “What Alex Saw: Bad Fog at Martos Gallery in Chelsea and Highlights from the Lower East Side.” bmore <art>, January
Cowansage, Corydon, “Interview: Ted Gahl,” ART HAPS, January
Mair, Moray, “Ted Gahl’s Paintings Draw From Memories And Dreams,” Mutantspace, January
2013 Stevenson, Jonathan. “By Any Other Name: Casualism at DODGE,” Two Coats of Paint, October.
Burgett, Misha. “Common Objects: Artists Take on the Familiar,” Gulf Coast Mag, April.
Hooper, Rachel. “Painters’ Painters,” Glasstire, February.
Deliso, Meredith. ”Common Objects” at David Shelton gallery,” Houston Press, January.
2012 Chapline, Jonathan. “Ted Gahl-Connecticut (Interview),” FFFFFFWalls, September.
Brennan, Valerie. “Ted Gahl (Interview),” Studio Critical, September.
Schwartz, Chip. “Fjord’s “Daphne” is Daft and Delightful,” The Art Blog, July.
Kimball, Whitney. “Road Trip: AFC Goes to Philly,” Art Fag City, July.
Abelow, Joshua.  “In Conversation: Joshua Abelow Interviews Ted Gahl,” NYARTS, June.
2011 Stopa, Jason, “Of This Time Of That Place: Ted Gahl Paintings @ DODGEgallery,” WHITEHOT magazine, November
Rifkin, Mark, “Night Painter: Ted Gahl,” This Week in New York, November
Ebstein, Alex, “Up All Night: Q & A with Ted Gahl,” New American Paintings Blog, October
Halle, Howard, “Critic’s Pick: Top 5 Shows,” Time Out NY, October
Donovan, Bill, “Go Figure and Ted Gahl on the Lower East Side,” Beautiful/Decay, October
Chayka, Kyle, Martinez, Alanna, “Top 9 Shows to see this Week,” Artinfo, October
Kimball, Whitney, “October Gallery Preview,” Art Fag City, October
Yeldezian, Alexi, “Everything you need to know this week on New York’s Art Scene,” Guest of a Guest, October
Mielke, Brad, “Your October Art Walk,” Joonbug.com, October
Nathan, Emily, “New Art GALLERY RAMBLE,” Artnet, October
Miranda, Carolina, “This Week: Must-See Arts in the City,” WNYC, October
Ioli, Allison. “Not The Way You Remembered @ Queens Museum of Art,” WHITEHOT magazine, September
Rifkin, Mark, “Lower East Side Group Shows Summer 2011,” This Week in New York, July
Mak, Gerry, “New Art/Ted Gahl.” Lost At E Minor, April
2010 “Ted Gahl’s Paired Down,” Beautiful Decay, November
Ted Gahl, Queens Museum of Art, Online Publication
Butler, Sharon, “Gahl and Berg @ Nudashank in Baltimore,” Two Coats of Paint