Letter to the Center of the Lake (2024), oil stick and acrylic on canvas over panel, diptych, 72 x 94 x 2 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and HARPERS, shared with permissionMetaphysical Landscapes by Eliot Greenwald Illuminate the Mutuality of All LifeNovember 8, 2024ArtKate MothesFor Eliot Greenwald, humankind and the landscapes we occupy are essentially one in the same. Cycles of life, death, and rebirth may diverge from being to being, but the artist considers all existence to be fundamentally interconnected and substantially the same.At HARPERS in Chelsea, Greenwalds solo exhibition Library continues to explore the artists fascination with landscape and the metaphysical, inviting us to explore a surreal realm of otherworldly botanicals, double moons, and enigmatic pathways.Ask the Arrow (2024), oil stick and acrylic on canvas over panel, diptych, 72 x 94 x 2 inchesIn oil stick and acrylic, Greenwald often repeats motifs of trees and mountains through variations in light and hue, nodding to the cyclical nature of the seasons and how the time of day or year influences how we perceive the world around us. The artist also incorporates vehicles that wind their way through the scenes and illuminate their surroundings. These miniature automobiles stand in for the human vessel itselfa subtle reminder that even the most engineered facets of the Anthropocene are just one piece in the grander puzzle of existence, says a gallery statement.In addition to Greenwalds organically-shaped canvas pieces, Library also includes sculptural elements, like Library of Paper Towels, a tiny, freestanding room filled with books covered in colorful paper.Made of reclaimed wood salvaged from an 18th-century barn in western Massachusetts, where the artist lives, the repository contains hundreds of hand-bound books made from paper towel. Employing a material made expressly to be used and thrown away, the artist reckons with the way knowledge is gained, shared, preserved, and valued.Library continues through December 7 in New York City. Find more on the artists website and Instagram.Installation view of LibraryDetail of Library of Paper Towels (2024), wood, hardware, hat light, extension cord, and artist books, 110 x 50 x 50 inchesBlanket Drapes with its Fringe (2024), oil stick and acrylic on canvas over panel, 78 x 47 x 2 inchesDetail of Blanket Drapes with its FringeNot A Franz West (2024), oil stick and acrylic on canvas over panel, 95 x 47 x 2 inchesWind Doesnt Suck, It Blows (2024), oil stick and acrylic on canvas over panel, diptych, 72 x 94 x 2 inchesDetail of Wind Doesnt Suck, It BlowsInstallation view of LibraryPrevious articleNext article