SECOND SKIN

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Susan Inglett Gallery is pleased to present Second Skin, a solo exhibition by Ryan Wallace, on view from 11 June through 4 September 2026. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, 11 June 2026, from 6 to 8 PM.

Second Skin was developed through Wallace’s ongoing interaction with and renegotiation of materials, the lineage of which can be traced back through his canon. Compositional forms arise from the remnants of earlier works, repurposing what was once left behind.

Materials employed for structural integrity and support begin to reveal themselves materially. Through Wallace’s distinctive technique of layering and joining, the verso of the works becomes as compelling as the face. In Second Skin, Wallace blurs the line between front and back, between public and private. Unresolved or unfinished works are resurrected, and excised components are applied with renewed aesthetic intent. The translucent dermis of fiberglass sheeting becomes, as the title suggests, a second skin, forming new planes for Wallace to cover and cut into.

The works are formally in concert, with line, shape, and geometric motifs repeated across Wallace’s extensive material list, which includes, but is not limited to, oil, enamel, acrylic, aluminum, copper, linen, canvas, and fiberglass, each introducing a textural presence to the surface. The paintings are abstract and mercurial; each layer or element is assembled with a lyrical intent.

The exhibition is titled after a song on The Chameleon’s 1983 debut album. Musical inspiration is vital to Wallace’s practice, as the melodies and emotional tone guide his hand. These works were made with this in mind, the song, and in turn, the works described by Wallace as “ethereal and familiar and abstract and desolate and raw, but beautiful and melodic.”

RYAN WALLACE’s (b. 1977) mixed media paintings conjure an ethereal space between the material and intangible. Repurposing fragments from earlier and developing pieces, the artist seams, layers, excavates, and manipulates the surface of his work to incorporate a wealth of textures and techniques. By limiting his resources, Wallace has developed a rich process-based practice whereby each body of work leads to the next in terms of materials and composition. Wallace’s work has been exhibited at the Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas (2018); the University of the Arts, Philadelphia (2016); and BAM, Brooklyn (2011). Recent group exhibitions include Volery Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2022); Bohemian’s Gallery, Natsume Books, Tokyo, Japan (2022); De Boer Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2021); and The Bunker Artspace, West Palm Beach, FL (2019). His works can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, NYC; Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, Schwartz; and the Schwartz Collection at Harvard Business School, Cambridge, among others.

The exhibition will be on view at Susan Inglett Gallery, located at 522 West 24th Street, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM. For additional information, please contact Susan Inglett Gallery at 212 647 9111 or info@inglettgallery.com. Join the conversation with Susan Inglett Gallery and Ryan Wallace on Instagram (@susaninglettgallery and @ryanwallace_studio) and Facebook (Susan Inglett Gallery), and via the hashtags #susaninglettgallery and #ryanwallace.