BlackBird show melds digital layers with industrial grit
“Before ghosting, we dreamt of undergoing changes of heart and changes of mind. Allowing oneself to be knocked unconscious.” That intriguing line sets the mood for Filthy Casual, a collaborative exhibition by Asheville artists John Nelson Batovsky and Jesse Lee. Opening at BlackBird Frame & Art this November, the show traces two very different paths into experimentation and lets them meet in unexpected places. For Batovsky, the series represents “a short breather from pushing paint on canvas and … a step into the digital realm.” He begins with photographs of his earlier geometric and line-based works, then manipulates them using apps, filters, and hand-drawn marks. The resulting pieces are printed on archival paper and set inside reworked frames, offering a blend of past and present processes. Lee introduces a contrasting physicality, shaping aluminum siding, copper, and reclaimed ceiling tiles into sculptural wall pieces. The rough tactility of his materials adds weight and texture, grounding the exhibition’s more ethereal digital layers. Where the artists’ approaches overlap, viewers find surprising harmony — a conversation between polish and patina, precision and improvisation. The show runs through the end of the year.
Filthy Casual: November 7-December 31; Opening Reception: Friday, Nov. 7, 6-8pm
BlackBird Frame & Art / 365 Merrimon Ave., Asheville / blackbirdframe.com