Gordon Shadrach: the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing

We are delighted to announce Gordon Shadrach's exhibition, the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, marking his first solo presentation with United Contemporary in four years.

the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing centres around the effects an illness and its treatments can have on the body and mind.  Focusing on the regenerative power of nature and time, this new body of work mirrors Shadrach's recent personal journey of healing and recovery from cancer. After a year of isolation due to a compromised immune system, he felt a profound need to reconnect - with both nature and his sense of self, coming to the conclusion and acceptance that to be alive is to experience both the positive and the negative.

In this new series of portraits, the young man depicted is situated in harmony with trees and foliage, acting as an avatar for Shadrach as he explores the interconnectedness of health and the natural world. The greenery is symbolic of renewal, resilience, and the quiet strength that exists both in nature and within the human spirit, but it also cast shadows, breaking up the light on the sitter as a reminder that life is a combination of dichotomous energies that work in conjunction and that each is just as essential as the other. The installation pieces made from leather and pins, mark a return for Shadrach to the medium of textiles and represent the effects and scars an illness and the subsequent medical care has on both the inner and outer self. 

Through his oeuvre, Shadrach aims to capture the beauty and complexity of life, acknowledging its tenderness as well as its endurance. In previous bodies of work, he has employed antique frames and historical dress in his subjects to address overarching historical narratives that reflect on the Black experience and themes of representation, or lack thereof. In the creation of the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, Shadrach now looks inwards, resulting in a reflective body of work that expresses the pain of his personal experience, while finding a wider resonance that speaks to the balance between vulnerability and strength.

Born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, Gordon Shadrach has lived and worked in Toronto for over 25 years. He started painting in 2013 primarily in oil on wood or canvas and in 2020, he returned to his original field of study (textiles) by exhibiting textile-based installation pieces. Shadrach has exhibited in solo and group art shows in Canada, the United States and The Bahamas. In 2022, Shadrach was the lead artist and co-curator of Dis/Mantle, an immersive installation at the Spadina Museum, as part of the City of Toronto's Awakenings program. His work appears in notable collections such as the Wedge Collection, The Wright Collection, CCH Pounder, The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, the City of Toronto and the Art Gallery of Hamilton. 

"the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing"  - James Baldwin, For Nothing is Fixed.