SAM LACOMBE:
25 YEARS OF NEON

Sam Lacombe is a Baltimore-based artist whose work is grounded in the formal world of design. A firm believer in the interconnectedness of art and science, Lacombe approaches representation through both observation and invention. Rather than emulating what is seen by the lens of the camera, he incorporates the interpretation of the human eye, the microscope, and the telescope. Lacombe states, “When I paint an object, I feel I am building that object.” 

Moved by light, pattern, geometry, and color, Lacombe draws on urban architecture and commercial signage, which provide ample opportunity to explore these principles while giving a nod to the Pop Art movement. 25 Years of Neon features paintings and gouaches of urban Americana graphic signage, which Lacombe transforms in poetic ways. Avoiding the pitfalls of nostalgia and sentiment often associated with neon signs, he instead imbues these mundane and ubiquitous subjects with dignity, and he elevates their forms beyond their literal qualities to create self-contained, physical objects that are greater than the sum of their parts.  

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Join us for the artist's reception on Saturday, October 30, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

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Lacombe will give a gallery talk on Friday, November 5, at 12:00 p.m.