The Impossible Indigo of a Penumbral Morning Sky in the Spring of 2006 Sculpture

Working principally in laser-cut plywood, Oakland-based artist Gabriel Schama creates densely layered forms that twist, intersect, and overlap to create compositions that are precise and expressionist. Although the design process begins digitally with complex vector illustrations, Schama’s work is brought to life by the artist’s meticulous craftsmanship. His years of experience in high-end architectural metalwork and furniture design are as evident in the impeccable construction of his work, as they are in the delicate balance of the design. His work meanders amongst purely abstract pseudo-mandalas, silhouetted figures and portraits, architectural landscapes, and typographic studies. Rendered in mixed tones of wood grain or in vivid blocks of color, endless details hide in the crevices of Schama’s work, rewarding repeated and up-close scrutiny, even as the overall arrangement defies a single visual interpretation, shifting with each change in perspective.