MANSFIELD — Evan Zuercher said he started to get frustrated with painting because what he was trying to create “never looked right.”
The artist discovered film and digital photo negatives in high school, which helped him visualize what he was trying to communicate.
“It’s like real-life photoshop,” he said. “You can manipulate shadows or take things in and out, and make art through that.”
Art photography and paintings take center stage in Zuercher’s exhibition “Dear God You Dream in Light,” which he is showcasing in Galería Ekkles March 6 to 8.
From Evan Zuercher
“Dear God You Dream In Light” is an immersive exhibition open to the public and has work created by Evan J. Zuercher over the past four years. It consists of acrylic paintings, fine art photography, and conceptual installations. Locally produced music has been created by a friend, David Baer, to accompany the concepts in an atmospheric way.
I am a 25-year-old self taught conceptual artist from Wooster, Ohio. My work focuses on exploring the intersection of divinity and my grounded existence, exposing the tension and relief that this creates. My current practice uses the manipulation of digitally created photo negatives to create surreal and otherworldly imagery.
A Wooster native, the 25-year-old drew from themes of faith and reflection in the 25-piece collection.
“The launching point of the whole collection was wrestling with my faith in general and wondering what I believe,” Zuercher said. “All my work is trying to get perspective and lean into hope instead of shame or despair.”
Zuercher frequently models for his own photos and paintings, usually dressing in black to create highlights in a photo negative.
“With negatives, everything is inverse, so dark becomes brilliant white and highlights become really dark,” Zuercher said. “I really enjoy that as an artistic tool and also a storytelling one.
“How there’s always a different perspective that you can’t always see, but that’s championing you and helping you achieve things.”
“I hope what people take away from the exhibition is a message of hope, and that your dreams are still within reach, regardless of how you feel you may be coming up short.”
— Evan Zuercher, Artist
“You Always Become What You Enthrone” is a chair covered in mirrors, which the artist said he created to represent “whatever we spend the most time looking at is what decorates the throne in our hearts.”
Another sculpture, “Handstitched Righteous-mess,” displays a clothing rack.
“I made tags for each of the garments,” Zuercher said. “That piece is about me trying to fit the part growing up in faith communities and wearing my own righteousness. But also accepting that it becomes a mess.”
Zuercher was involved in a missions program in Costa Rica after high school and lived there from 2017-2019. When he returned home, he started creating art again.
“I’ve been working on this idea for about four years,” he said. “Then around last year, I realized it was all telling a story. I’m really excited to show it in its full form for people.”
Diane Googins, owner and curator of Galería Ekkles, met Zuercher at a Wooster art show and invited him to the Mansfield gallery.
related coverage
“This place is beautiful and I’m really excited that Diane gave me the opportunity to come here,” Zuercher said.
Zuercher plans to take “Dear God You Dream in Light” to a few other shows before offering his work for sale. He will sell prints at the exhibition from March 6 through 8.
The artist also has screen-printed clothing for sale using thrifted finds.
“I really like the idea of people taking the message with them and wearing it,” Zuercher said. “It’s all thrifted clothing because I love repurposing stuff, and I have my own silk screen printer to personalize it .”
The gallery will showcase “Dear God You Dream in Light” from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 6 through 8. The gallery is located in Mansfield at 103 N. Main St. on the second floor.
Zuercher is on Facebook, Instagram @evanjameszurk and online at evanjz.com.
