Paul Wirhun creates new collages from broken eggshells at Ivy Brown Gallery Meatpacking, NYC -- Today Ivy Jeanne Brown, founder and owner of the 13-year-old Ivy Brown Gallery, announced her gallery's upcoming exhibition of Paul Wirhun's series, "When My World Fell Apart." This new body of work continues on a series of broken eggshells collages and paintings on found wood, exploring themes of dissolution and recapitulation since his last solo show here in 2005. Addressing very personal themes found in this show, Wirhun notes:” One thing I've learned in my studio practice of the past 23 years is that my compositions often presage my life's events; as though my unconscious erupting in my craziest collages predict future phenomena."

Raised in a Ukrainian-American family, Wirhun is known for his work on eggshells, employing ancient folk craft techniques (a form of batik), mixed with innovative uses of wax line drawing, brush painting, as well as scratching and etching. In 2000, Wirhun began creating collages from broken eggshells; destroying the intensely controlled process of carefully scripted design on the shell and turning studio detritus into stories. Through using broken shells and adhering them to a flat surface plane, he has reconfigured his preconceived worldview by playing in an unknown field of shattered illusions. The effect is a multi-layered composition that expresses deeply held feelings, while sparking the viewer's imagination through the juxtaposition of color, design and textures.

This weeklong showing of new works will feature eggshell collages, paintings, assemblages, and new works on Ostrich and hen's eggs. Mr. Wirhun will also teach a class in traditional egg talisman making, during which participants will be able to make their own batiked egg in time for the Spring Holidays of Easter and Passover. This class is by reservation only; the $35 cost will include material supplies.