Exhibition: shifting baselines at Keene Arts (Oct 11-Nov 10)

shifting baselines: Ali Della Bitta and Drew Goerlitz

October 11th - November 10th

Exhibition walk through: Tuesday, October 29, 7pm

Keene Arts
10881 Route 73
Keene, NY

Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm

DOWNLOAD EXHIBITION CHECK LIST (PDF)

Press (NCPR): Sculpture and art examine the Adirondacks and our changing environment by Amy Feiereisel

Keene Arts presents “shifting baselines,” an exhibition that merges the individual studio practices of North Country based sculptors Ali Della Bitta and Drew Goerlitz.

The title “shifting baselines” references the continuous environmental degradation at local, regional, and global levels as referenced through ceramic, steel, wood, and photography. Without true knowledge or real experience of past ecological conditions, each new generation risks perceiving the environment they grow up in as what is normal. This exhibition toes the line between what we know and what might happen next.

"shifting baselines," unites Della Bitta and Goerlitz’s distinct artistic voices to explore how perceived boundaries between nature and human experience evolve over time. Della Bitta’s masterful ceramic based works reflect the intricate beauty of the Adirondack wilderness, while Goerlitz’s striking steel sculptures and photo-based installations ask viewers to confront the impact of human activity on the environment. Together, their works create a dialogue about the shifting challenges of what is considered “natural” in our ever-changing world—especially in the High Peaks. This exhibition invites viewers to reconsider their perceptions of landscape. 

Accepting that the understanding of our world and our relationship to it is continually expanding, their artwork, often crafted from reclaimed materials, reflect a deep commitment to sustainability while capturing the transient nature of our surroundings.

Article: Meet Drew Goerlitz and Ali Della Bitta

STORIES & INSIGHTS: Meet Drew Goerlitz and Ali Della Bitta

Published by CANVAS REBEL

October 17, 2022

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We were lucky to catch up with Drew Goerlitz and Ali Della Bitta recently and have shared our conversation below.

Drew and Ali, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

We are currently working on the most meaningful project we have pursued in all collaborative endeavors so far. Our new business is a brainchild that came from wanting independent artists to have a platform to share and sell their work without having a large percentage taken from their earnings. Contemporary North Artist Collective aims to promote and support artists.

Drew and Ali, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Ali Della Bitta and I both pursued degrees in visual arts and focused in sculpture. In 2002 we met while attending a sculpture park residency in Minnesota. We worked well together and each brought different concepts, approaches and backgrounds of art making to the table.

Our first collaborative commision was a public art project in Silver Springs, MD that was focused on repairing the ecosystem of a community park. The concept of artwork promoting the natural ecosystem and surrounding environment has become a common thread over the last 20 years of our collaborative work..