Christopher Clamp: Far From Home

Jerald Melberg Gallery is pleased to present new paintings by contemporary realist still life painter, Christopher Clamp. Growing up in Leesville, South Carolina, Clamp spent much of his time combing through odds and ends in his grandfather's barn, divining stories about their importance and meaning. Now, he sources all manner of vintage objects with nostalgic resonance to compose universal narratives in his own work. His deft abilities with oil paint elevate his subjects beyond pure kitsch and into portrait-like territory.

Clamp says, Objects, no matter how ordinary, hold a magic and a power that can transport us to different times and realms, depending on how they are arranged, used or treated. ‘Far From Home’ also refers to the effect nostalgia can have. Memories can comfort and they can also emphasize how much distance there is between then and now. My hope is that the paintings will cause viewers to engage with their own memories and perhaps be transported.

This exhibition also includes a group of four amazing paintings, commissioned to be used in an upcoming children's book, titled The Sun Comes Up. A limited number of these unique, editioned children's books are also available at the gallery. Each foldable story book comes with four prints of Clamp's paintings.