Exhibition Dates & Location
Brian Gleckman's solo exhibition Space Within, Space Without is on display March 14th - May 7th, 2026, in the Township of Langley Civic Building 2nd Floor Gallery (20338 65 Ave, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1). The Civic Facility hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.
About the Exhibition - Space Within, Space Without
In Space Within, Space Without, I seek to explore the visual and conceptual relationship between presence and context. To that end, the paintings in this exhibit make use of colour as subject, while employing ambiguous space and visual movement as the language of expression and engagement.
The goal of each of these paintings is to encourage contemplation. In particular, they invite viewers to (re)consider spaces that are ostensibly understood to be “within,” while contextualizing those very same spaces in relation to that which is presumed to be “outside.” Ideally, these paintings should serve as prompts for the viewer in such a way as to have them ask, what is the relationship between the rectangular space and the area (the frame) around it? How is one defined by the other? With these questions in mind, what I hope viewers will experience is a transition from initial visual and compositional perception – in point of fact, an assumption - to uncertainty, and I endeavor to have that transition facilitated by the sometimes ambiguous, almost tentative, portrayal of borders and the edges between positive and negative spaces. As one field is delineated from or dissolves into the other, these compositions create a kind of visual tension, one where the viewer finds themselves negotiating what they readily see with what they imagine each painting is seeking to convey. In this, these paintings may be viewed as visual metaphors for the relationship between our physical senses, including our own existential sense of place, and those things that we believe to exist in more ethereal realms.
While the titles in this series of paintings may seem enigmatic to the viewer, most pay homage to places, times, and conceptual experiences of my own life. Some simply speak to where and when I grew up, while others give personal recognition to spiritual quests and affirmations. For the viewer, the titles may well be irrelevant, and rightfully so. This is because - especially when viewing abstract imagery - the viewer enjoys their own right of interpretation and response. I encourage and welcome this. Indeed, I hope this will be the case, because in presenting these paintings, my goal is unfettered dialogue between the art and the viewer.
About the Artist
Brian Gleckman is a Vancouver-based abstract and colour field painter. Originally from Los Angeles, where he studied Baroque and Rococo art history, Brian was inspired in the studio by the energy and tension of Fauvism, Abstract Expressionism, and Minimalism. His paintings synthesize these influences by focusing on the relationships between colour, space, movement, and visual texture. In this, Brian’s exploration is both visual and conceptual.
Often working in monochromatic colour schemes, many of Brian’s paintings are infused with ambiguous depth, and a simultaneous sense of directness and subtlety. His canvases reflect compositional intent, yet allow for elements of the unexpected to present themselves and to flesh out the immersive nature of his vision. In this, Brian’s process is a constant back-and-forth between the pre-conceived and the organic.
Beyond having taught drawing, painting, and photography for thirty years, Brian has been an Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. His paintings have been shown in private and public galleries in the Lower Mainland region of Vancouver, and are collected in Canada and the United States.