The Louis K. Meisel Gallery is proud to present Forgotten Industry, a two-person exhibition of recent Photorealist works by Randy Dudley and Robert Gniewek.  Both originating from the Midwest, the artists’ work subtly overlaps in subject and genre, and yet diverges stylistically. Focusing on urban and industrial landscapes across North America, Dudley and Gniewek capture overlooked locales, revealing quiet, melancholic beauty hidden beneath the prosaic surface of their subjects.  

Born in Illinois, Randy Dudley’s earliest paintings were primarily small narrative landscapes. After moving to Brooklyn in 1978, his artistic focus shifted to gritty city imagery that he encountered on walks through the various neighborhoods. Over the years, Dudley has recreated the altered urban landscapes and waterways of New York’s lesser-known locales, Chicago’s elevated infrastructure, and Illinois’ bridges. For Dudley, these industrial landscapes are quiet spaces, layered with history, and imbued with somber beauty. 

A Detroit native, Robert Gniewek’s atmospheric work features remote urban outposts and slickly paved city streets. Captured at dusk, his depictions of signage, diners, gas stations, and motels possess a cinematic quality that is rarely seen in Photorealism. Diffused neon light takes center stage in Gniewek’s paintings, enveloping his city scenes with a sense of nostalgia and solitude reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai films. 

Randy Dudley & Robert Gniewek: Forgotten Industry will be on display at Louis K. Meisel Gallery at 141 Prince Street from April 25th to June 1st. An opening reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, April 25th from 5 to 7 pm. For further information, please contact [email protected].