SOAD faculty members in group show, “Breaking the Surface,” at Elmira College

The Breaking the Surface exhibition will run from Oct. 17 to Nov. 15.

Alfred University faculty members Zihao Chen, Stephanie McMahon, Jason Green and Patrick Brennan, School of Art and Design, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, will open a group show, "Breaking the Surface," at the George Waters Gallery at Elmira College.

The exhibition will run from Oct. 17 to Nov. 15. There will be an opening reception and gallery talk with the artists Nov. 14 14 from 5 to 7 pm.

Each of the four artists challenge the boundaries of their mediums and invite viewers to explore the layers beneath the surface. Through painting, sculpture, and mixed media, these artists engage with themes of perception, materiality, memory, and abstraction, creating dynamic works that push the limits of form and meaning.

Stephanie McMahon weaves abstraction and perception through fluid gestures and geometric structures, blending intuitive and calculated marks. Her paintings oscillate between references to the environment and the formal elements of painting itself. With luminous brushstrokes gliding over smooth surfaces, McMahon invites viewers into spaces of tension and harmony, where gesture, form, and color combine in active exploration.

Jason Green reimagines architectural terra cotta and tile, blending historical ornament with contemporary fabrication techniques. His sculptures explore the decay and reconstruction of spaces, evoking the passage of time through intricate patterns and colorful glazed surfaces. Influenced by Arabic patterning and mathematical design, Green's work offers a dialogue between interior and exterior, fragment and whole, where tradition and innovation converge.

Zihao Chen utilizes paper pulp as a transformative medium, blending books, sketches, and other printed materials into abstract compositions that speak to censorship, politics, and the fragility of knowledge. His works evoke disorientation and unease, with imagery of exploding books and chalkboards-symbols of education and memory-creating dystopian landscapes that question the control and dissemination of information.

Patrick Brennan embraces chaos and the sublime, filling his mixed media paintings with layers of color, texture, and found objects. His work, dense with collage and paint, reflects a dream-like landscape where materials such as foam, glitter, and Popsicle sticks create vibrant compositions. Brennan's use of heavily saturated colors and unexpected materials challenges viewers to confront the unease and energy in his abstract, constantly shifting visual language.

Breaking the Surface offers an immersive experience, urging viewers to look beyond the surface and engage with the complexities of each artist's exploration of form, space, and meaning. This exhibition invites contemplation, discovery, and a deeper connection with the material world.

The George Waters Gallery is located at One Park Place, in Elmira, NY.