K. Imperial Fine Art is pleased to announce An Astrology, a new exhibition by artist Tahiti Pehrson. With this technically demanding collection, Pehrson unveils an alluring new direction in his artistic practice. His introduction of graphite and mono-printing into the work generates an active and engaging surface that is further galvanized by the contrast of unpredictable elements aligned with areas of controlled calculation. The show is available to view by appointment from November 10, 2023, to January 6, 2024. The gallery and the artist welcome the public to the opening reception on Saturday, November 18, from 3-5 p.m.
In this show, Pehrson delves into the mysteries of the night sky. His pursuit is not a literal charting of planets and stars, but rather a meditation on the human obsession with patterns in the natural world and a celebration of our search for meaning in the farthest parts of the unknown. The spirographic shapes in his work are reminiscent of the oscillating paths of celestial bodies across the sky, plotting out both mathematical formulas and mystical truths that are just out of reach. While not an active practitioner of astrology, Pehrson is interested in the concept of large-scale movements in space and time exerting influence on our free will.
The forms that make up An Astrology find the intersection between the organic and the mathematical. From far away, the pieces give the impression of perfect symmetry, but a close-up inspection of the intricate hand-cut patterns reveals slight variations and pencil marks, leftover traces of human imperfection. The fluidity of graphite mark-making compliments the meticulous geometrical designs, as the fields of graphite with visible pencil strokes add a new element of movement that embraces evidence of the artist’s hand. The undulating luster of the burnished surface and the inherently variable nature of the monoprint technique are natural propellants in the transition away from the obsessively meditative execution that dominates earlier incarnations of Pehrson’s work.
Pehrson is a Nevada City, California-based artist who has been making cut paper works for the last 25 years. His work has been exhibited all around the world, including the University of San Francisco, and noted large-scale public installations at Viacom, New York City, and the San Francisco International Airport.
