AUTUMN 2024 EXHIBITION

Distant existence:
paintings by SamUEL Kampelman

Opening reception: Saturday, November 2, 7-9p
On view: November 2, 2024-January 2025 at Michelle Thomas Fine Art Gallery + Studio

Samuel Kampelman is an abstract representational painter living in St. Louis, Missouri. He received his BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, then went on to Indiana University–Bloomington for his MFA in painting. “My abstract-representational paintings are influenced by my curiosity about the spaces and beings we have yet to discover,” he says, “A fascination with the unknown fuels my imagination, prompting me to envision how these imagined entities and environments might exist in distant, unexplored realms. My art serves as a bridge between the fantastical and the tangible, inviting viewers to ponder the limitless possibilities of existence beyond our current understanding.”

Kampelman’s interdisciplinary process begins with the collection and manipulation of recycled materials which he cuts and assembles to construct sculptures that embody the concepts he intends to visualize. These sculptures are suspended from strings and placed within an enclosed, constructed space, which he strategically lights to enhance their visual impact. The interplay of light and shadow in this controlled environment creates dynamic, ever-changing scenes that provide visual references for his oil paintings. “I aim to spark a sense of wonder and invite viewers to embark on their own journeys of discovery,” Kampelman says, “By merging the abstract with the representational, I hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for the mysteries that lie beyond our immediate perception and encourage imaginative exploration of the unknown.”

Learn more about Samuel Kampelman HERE.

EXHIBITIONS

• 2024 Q3 Exhibit, 31art Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2024 Summer Group Show, Untitled Fine Art, St. Louis, MO

• 2024 Artist-in-Residence Exhibition, Spark, Ballpark Village, St. Louis, MO

• 2024 Other Worlds, group show, Soulard Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2024 Sam Kampelman+Neeka Allsup+Ben Bradshaw, group show, Gogh-Getters at Sacred Grounds, Belleville, IL

• 2023 Aliens From Inner Space, group show, Untitled Fine Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2023 9th Bi-Annual Exhibition, group show, Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO

• 2022 Forty Five, group show, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2022 Contemporary Abstract, group show, Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

• 2022 August Exhibit, featured artist of group show, 31art Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2022 6th Bi-Annual Exhibition, group show, Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO

• 2021 Wild Thing, group show, Houska Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2013 Larger Than Life, solo exhibition, Chesterfield Arts, St. Louis, MO

• 2012 Sam Kampelman, solo exhibition, Blueline Gallery, Bloomington, IN

• 2012 MFA Thesis Exhibition, solo exhibition, Grunwald Gallery, Bloomington, IN

• 2011 Breaking Boundaries, group show, Fuller Projects Space, Bloomington, IN

• 2009 BFA Thesis Show, solo show, Main Building, Baltimore, MD

• 2008 Sam Kampelman, solo show, Meyerhoff Gallery, Baltimore, MD

EDUCATION

• 2012 MFA, Painting, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

• 2009 BFA, Painting, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

• 2021-2022 Preparator, Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, MO

• 2014 Adjunct Professor, Advanced Drawing, Advanced Painting, Drawing I, Drawing II, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO

• 2013 Adjunct Professor, Advanced Drawing, Advanced Painting, Drawing I,Drawing II, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO

• 2011-2012 Associate Professor, Drawing 200, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

• 2010 Art Handler, William Shearburn Gallery, St. Louis, MO

• 2008-2009 Art Handler, Goya Contemporary, Baltimore, MD