David Shrobe merges drawing, painting, collage, and found objects with his own practice of carving wood, to construct original worlds and narratives. The artist mines familial, historical and online sources to build a unique archive that becomes a springboard for multi-layered portraits and assemblage paintings. Born and based in New York, NY, he has presented solo exhibitions at Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago, IL; Steve Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Thierry Goldberg Gallery, New York, NY; and Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA. Additionally, his work can be found in the public collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY; the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY; and the Block Museum, Evanston, IL; among others.

Set within an oval frame that suggests a portal into a liminal space, Ascension stems from a body of work that builds on Shrobe’s interest in folklore and creation mythologies. The primary characters represent a pair of lovers, embracing one another against a dark background illuminated by twinkling, distant lights. Their faces merge together at the center, from which they peer outward through a single eye—intended to signify a unified vision. A reflection on the relationship between the artist and the women in his family, the female figure within the composition stretches an arm around her male counterpart, implying her role as the protector in the depicted moment. For this limited edition series, Shrobe will hand-embellish each print by incorporating unique elements that include patterned flocking materials, painted canvas, found textiles, and acrylic paint.

Regarding ART FOR CHANGE’s philanthropic initiative of planting ten trees for every print sold, the artist notes, “In my recent series Natural Sovereignty, I depict figures in the abundance of nature—where they emerge from the fauna and foliage and pick medicinal leaves from trees as survival strategies. I underscore the importance of communing with nature, as well as that of the traditional healing practices that trees and plants provide. AFC’s tree planting initiative has so many benefits. In urban spaces like NYC, trees are especially important. They help shade and cool cities, where high temperatures and concrete sidewalks heat the city streets. Planting more trees will reduce flooding and beautify neighborhoods, in turn reducing stress on our lives.”

He continues, “Trees also work as filters to clean our air, helping us breathe by absorbing odors and harmful pollutants. This is especially vital to areas and ecosystems that need them the most, which often tend to be neglected neighborhoods where the poor air quality increases rates of illness, such as asthma. As someone who lost a sibling due to asthma, and who has other family members currently suffering from it, improving our air quality is an issue I believe to be critical. This initiative is a fantastic step towards extending life for everyone on the planet.”

David Shrobe
Ascension, 2024
26 x 21.25 inches
Archival pigment print

Limited edition of 5
Hand-embellished, signed and numbered by the artist

Limited edition of 10 with 5AP + 1PP
Signed and numbered by the artist

ART FOR CHANGE will plant ten trees for each print sold in support of global reforestation efforts. As in all series, artists will receive 50% of the net proceeds of print sales.

*International customers are responsible for applicable duties and taxes including VAT fees.
*Unframed prints ship within 1-3 weeks.
*Framed prints ship within 3-6 weeks.

David Shrobe, Ascension, 2024; Limited Edition Print