Fair Portions II by Robert Grassel
September 4 – 25
Fair Portions II in the Atrium
Opening reception: Friday, September 4, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
Much of Robert Grassel’s lens-based work involves fragmented and detached subject matter, often recorded through the lens as a street photographer. Typically, his method of initiating visual encounters utilizes the derive, a mode of random urban walking first theorized by Guy Debord which places the individual solidly into the urban landscape.
Once embarked, the unscripted real-world visual environment can present him with objects, groupings, and structures, the proximity of which is often isolated from one another. His subject matter ranges from the banal to the mysterious, while moving effortlessly from found objects to candid portraits to surreal cityscapes.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Robert Grassel is a photographer and scanner artist whose work bridges contemporary imagery with deep historical dialogue. They began their formal training at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, later earning a bachelor’s degree in communications (University of Central Florida) and a master’s degree in art history (University of Illinois, Chicago). This multidisciplinary background informs his meticulous approach to composition and visual culture. Grassel’s work has been exhibited in over 50 solo and group exhibitions. Recognition of his work includes the Bill Wheat Memorial Award, the ORAC Beauty of Science Award, and a recent Arts Alliance Juror’s Citation. When not working on his art, Grassel teaches the history of photography at Pellissippi State Community College.
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