In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Chris Bathgate’s use of metal is neither structural nor illusionistic. It does not refuse to transform the medium, and it does not play on the medium’s opposites, e.g. lightness from metal’s weight, or organic forms from its rigidity.

Bathgate’s process most closely resembles that of a machine builder or engineer. In the last two years, he has become increasingly involved in using mathematical techniques. This has allowed him to achieve the high degree of precision necessary for assembling such intricate works (these sculptures are not cast),. The result is indeed a transformation-the pieces fit together in such a way that they cease to appear man-made, and yet in spite of this lack of bumpiness or personal touch emanate a presence that is unmistakable and engaging.

Bathgate’s entities are like instances of a foreign intelligence. Being uninhibited by pretensions to flesh, these sculptures call a type of ‘creature feeling’ reflecting their intellectual (as opposed to emotional), humanism.

According to Bathgate, every sculpture is an experiment in response to an abstract opposed to pragmatic problem-it does not work towards a presumed result. From the point of view of the process, a finished work is not an end in itself but a place that one goes to.

Biography

SELECTED HONORS & AWARDS

2007 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant Recipient
2004 Best in Show Award, Projekt30 Online Gallery
1999 Maryland Institute College of Art, Merit Scholar Grant
1998 Bernard Fall Art Scholarship Award
NFAA/Arts Recognition and Talent Search, Honorable Mention

GROUP SHOWS

2008
Gallery 10 Sculpture invitational, Gallery10 Washington, DC
2007
Gallery 10 Sculpture Invitational, Washington Square Washington, DC
2nd Annual Juried Sculpture Show, Craven Arts Council and Gallery New Bern, NC
26th Annual Invitational Sculpture Exhibition, Montpelier Arts Center Laurel, MD
"Man Made," Gallery Imperato Baltimore, MD
2006
"Mixed Media," Columbia Art Center Columbia, MD
"Micro Monumental," Xavier Gallery Cincinnati, OH
Philadelphia Sculptors and Sculptors Inc. at Washington Square Washington, DC
"Micro Monumental," Flashpoint Gallery Washington, DC
2005
"2 Much," Current Gallery Baltimore, MD
Artscape Festival, Catonsville Community College Gallery Baltimore, MD
2004
"Loose Canon," RKL Gallery Brooklyn, NY
Group Show, Projekt 30 Online Gallery www.projekt30.com
“Primary Construction," RKL Gallery Brooklyn, NY
Group Show, Fairmount Gallery Towson, MD

EDUCATION

1998-1999
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
1997
Marie Walsh Sharpe Summer Seminar, Colorado Springs, CO
1994-1998
Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Towson, MD

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2004
Guest Curator for Projekt 30 January 2004 Online Exhibition
2003
Prop Designer, Telltale Project

PRESS

“Sculptures test their metal.” The Laurel Leader. August 2, 2007.
“Sculptures make metallic art both hot and cool.” The Prince George’s Sentinel. June 13, 2007.
“Machine Biology.” City Paper. March 7, 2007.