K. Imperial Fine Art is pleased to present Infinite Unfolding, a series of dynamic, multimedia abstractions by Ellie Fritz. These energetic, large-scale works on paper are adventurous in their exploration of mark-making and form, combining various printmaking techniques with painting and drawing. The show will be on view from April 2nd to April 30th, 2025. The gallery and the artist welcome the public to the opening reception on Thursday, April 3rd, from 5-7 p.m.
Fritz’s artistic process is multifaceted, rooted in play, experimentation, and trial and error. A single piece goes through several stages. At times, she builds up medium and layers, and at others she scores and distresses the surface of the material. She begins with gestural, intuitive marks, which run through a printing press with inked-up segments of fabric. This introduces a variety of catalysts, both within her control and outside of it, that can alternately generate new images and break them down. Embossment allows her an extra step of deliberate manipulation, while collage joins disparate parts to produce new meanings. This interplay of creation and destruction is a literal enactment of what Fritz refers to as “the paradox of fragility and strength.” The process can be aggressive, but the material is resilient, and what could be seen as damage soon becomes as integral to the work as its constructive elements. The end result emerges out of a dialogue between the press and the artist’s hand, between chance and intention. The finished composition is not just crafted, but orchestrated.
Through this process, improvisation becomes a form of liberation: from rigidity, from perfection, from strict representation. The success of a piece hinges on Fritz’s ability to react and respond to the materials as the artwork evolves. Every moment of creation brings forth new discoveries, and the potential results are infinite. In the realm of Infinite Unfolding, chaos is unthreatening, and the possibilities of a moment are a comfort.
A monochromatic approach allows form to stand at the forefront. Fritz originally resisted the emotional weight of color, but gradually learned to lean into it. She found that a single, ubiquitous hue could unify a piece with an emotional charge. Her red collages exude a vibrant, energetic blitz of passion, while her indigoes evoke vast, limitless spaces like the sea and the sky.
Ellie Fritz is based in Marin County, California. She is an alumnus of the San Francisco Arts Institute, whose well-known interdisciplinary approach heavily influenced her creative process. This is her third show with K. Imperial Fine Art.
Infinite Unfolding will be on display from April 2nd to April 30th, 2025. The gallery is open by appointment. Please contact the gallery at kimperialfineart@me.com or 415.277.7230 for inquiries or to view the exhibition.
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