Delbarton Arts is proud to present Antithesis, an exhibition by NJ-based artist Alex Maxwell (theaxmax).  The collection of works on paper, which includes screenprint and collage, is on display in the Fine Arts Center until January 19.

In Antithesis, Maxwell engages in a process of deconstruction and revision.  Limiting himself to a single magazine advertisement page for each work, he creates a small collage that remixes the original image.  Some of these collages later became the basis for screenprints using a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) color separation process.  In screenprinting, a different screen is used for every color, allowing Maxwell to further experiment with layering and variations.

Maxwell's work plays with scale and repetition, often to humorous effect.  For me, the show begs the question of how far an image (in this case an advertisement) can be fragmented before the original message is lost, and what new message is conveyed once that happens.  Because collage artists use found imagery, their work is often in conversation with pop culture, as well as with the DIY ethos of repurposing materials that might otherwise be considered disposable. Maxwell's work invites us to see the endless possibilities contained in our everyday visual language.

While Maxwell has worked in the past on large scale installations, there is an elegance to his narrower focus in this body of work.  Maxwell writes, "Through these works, I intend to continue searching for the cracks in the walls of my limitations."  I hope the Delbarton community will enjoy this window into a local artist's unique studio practice!

Antithesis runs through January 19th, 2024, on the ground floor of the Fine Arts Center.  Contact Caitlin Servilio (cservilio@delbarton.org) if you would like to make an appointment to see the work between 8 am and 4 pm on weekdays, or for inquiries about making a purchase. For more information, visit www.theaxmax.com.