Brad Stumpf: A Glimpse into Stories
Hangzhou
March 8 – April 20, 2025
Brad Stumpf: A Glimpse into Stories
Brad Stumpf: A Glimpse into Stories
Artists: Brad Stumpf
Exhibition: A Glimpse into Stories
Duration: March 8 – April 20, 2025
Opening: 3:00 PM，Saturday, March 8, 2025
Brad Stumpf’s work captures the quiet, often overlooked moments of domestic life—shared moments with his wife, quiet reflections, and observations of the world’s subtle chaos. Through these seemingly simple vignettes, Stumpf delves into profound themes of existence, transformation, and loss. His paintings frequently juxtapose still life compositions with domestic interiors, particularly focusing on objects arranged on bedside tables. These everyday items are meticulously staged, transforming into miniature theatrical settings. Viewers are drawn into a series of frozen “stage plays,” each revealing a fleeting yet poignant glimpse into the artist’s private world. The interplay between intimacy and detachment suggests that by focusing on life’s minutiae, one can transcend the monotony of daily routines.
Stumpf’s artistic process is as distinctive as his subject matter. He constructs paper figures and folded shapes as models, printing images onto paper, folding them into three-dimensional forms, and then sketching from these structures. His delicate, pencil-like brushstrokes convey subtle emotional nuances, creating an atmosphere of quiet reflection. The resulting paintings blur the lines between reality and imagination, offering layered insights into emotional and psychological states. Through this approach, Stumpf contemplates the fragility of self-perception, presenting it with a meditative distance that invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences.
ABOUT ARTIST
Born in 1991 in St. Louis, Missouri, Brad Stumpf graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015. In 2024, he was awarded The Hopper Prize for painting. His recent solo exhibitions include Still Life at The Weather Station, Lafayette, IN (2024), and Shadow Plays at Harkawik Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2022). He has also participated in public sculpture projects such as A Dream Set in Stone at Governors State University, University Park, IL (2024); Point of Entrance at Jeske Sculpture Park in Ferguson, St. Louis, MO (2016); and Point of Entrance at STLCC-Florissant Valley Campus, MO (2013).
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