September 8, 2026—October 25, 2026 | Opens Thurs. July 11th, 4-6PM, Reception and Artist Talk Sat. July 19th 4PM

The title Surface provides a conceptual framework for David Willburn's practice. More than the visible boundary of an object, a surface is a site where materials, histories, and meanings converge. Throughout this exhibition, Willburn transforms the painted surface into a place of construction, concealment, and revelation. Through an inventive use of unconventional materials and labor-intensive processes, he investigates abstraction, memory, and nostalgia while challenging conventional definitions of painting.

Willburn's practice extends beyond a re-examination of the medium to establish a distinctive visual language rooted in material experimentation. Each work begins with raw canvas, onto which the artist intuitively applies pigment or loose graphite marks across selected areas. The canvas is then cut into strips, rewoven, and adhered to a panel, creating a textured grid that serves as the foundation for the composition. Responding to this reconstructed surface, Willburn layers disparate elements—including fabric, paint, photographs, and paper—into compositions that oscillate between order and improvisation.The resulting works invite viewers into a sustained dialogue with painting as both object and image. Their richly layered surfaces encourage a physical encounter while simultaneously resisting fixed interpretation. Through this interplay of materiality, process, and abstraction, Willburn questions long-held assumptions about the nature of painting itself. The strength of the work lies in its openness: multiple readings coexist, offering neither the artist nor the viewer a singular resolution.

Drawing from the physical and cultural landscapes of his West Texas upbringing, Willburn explores themes of regional identity, queer domesticity, and the histories embedded within everyday materials. His work approaches landscape indirectly, through texture, rhythm, and color rather than representation. Fragments of cloth, woven structures, and layered surfaces become analogues for the ways memory and place are constructed over time.

Download the press release