The works of Derbes feature locally-felled tree stumps that the artist, using a chainsaw, has transformed into complex polygonal sculptures. Drawing on a variety of inspirations, such as early American folk art, quilts, and modernist architecture, Derbes masterfully plays with perspective, volume, and space to achieve a deft trompe l’œil, which subverts viewers’ expectations and perceptions. The geometrically shaped and richly hand-painted pieces slip between flat and three-dimensional forms. These sculptures buck simple categorization by simultaneously appearing both organic and refined; fissures and checking frequently appear on the surface of his wooden objects, exposing them for their honesty of materials.

(text adapted from the Christine Price Gallery’s press material)