In this exhibition, Sara-Jeanne Bourget, Robin Gleason and Mark Johnsen explore the layers of matter beneath our feet: the built-up boundary between body and earth in the urban environment. A new Stratigraphy is formed through layers of built material that mirror the geological. Inspired by the streets, parking lots and alleyways we travel over each day, “Common Ground” highlights the overlapping strata within the three diverse material practices of the artists.

The asphalt, concrete and cement that make up the ground we walk on are constructed surface upon surface; built upwards as they break down. There is a simultaneous additive and reductive force at play, as old layers are covered with new surfaces, and cracks and holes emerge from beneath with time and wear. In these new openings, living things emerge and take residence. Parallels are made with the gestures in each of the three artist’s practices. A texture is rendered in charcoal through both additive marks and reductive erasures. An intricate pattern is revealed from a seemingly mundane matrix by the pressure of the printing press. The exhibition highlights these patterns formed by time, the cracks and potholes, the texture of aging pavement, matter that surrounds our daily lives, but so often goes unnoticed.