I Am the I Am

Colin Brandt, Will Bruno, Xanthe Burdett, Francesco Cima, Ronan Day-Lewis, Eugene Delacroix, Patricia Geyerhahn, Sean Landers, Matvey Levenstein, Asher Liftin, John Martin, Danny Moynihan, Elliot Puckette, Luisa Rabbia, Charlie Roberts, Pierre-Jacques Volaire, Joseph Wright of Derby

Palo Gallery is pleased to present I Am the I Am, a group exhibition curated by Danny Moynihan on the subject of the Sublime. This exhibition consists of sculpture, works on paper and paintings spanning 200 years, featuring works by eighteen artists.

Late 18th- and early 19th-century Romantic artists often responded to the sweeping changes of industrialization and urbanization by seeking solace and meaning in nature, the divine, and the incomprehensible. Today, contemporary artists face similar challenges in a world shaped by relentless modernity, digital existence, and environmental crisis. I Am the I Am draws a line from the Romantic sublime of Caspar David Friedrich to the contemporary reinterpretations of artists like Colin Brandt, Xanthe Burdett, and Sean Landers, inviting audiences to compare and contrast expressions of sublimity across time.

The sublime, at its core, evokes awe, wonder, and even fear, confronting us with forces beyond human comprehension or control. This transcendence moves beyond mere beauty to the vastness, power, and mystery of nature, the universe, or the divine. Historically, Romantic artists like Eugène Delacroix and Joseph Wright of Derby explored the sublime through epic landscapes and dramatic contrasts, often positioning the boundless power of nature against the rising dominance of human industry.

In the 21st-century, as our lives digitize and epic natural landscapes disappear, a new generation of artists revisits these themes. Some mourn the loss of nature’s grandeur, while others reflect on the sublimity of destruction itself. Artists like Patricia Geyerhahn and Asher Liftin exemplify these contemporary perspectives, demonstrating how the sublime continues to resonate in today’s fragmented world.

The exhibition title, I Am the I Am, references Exodus 3:14, where God tells Moses, “I am who I am.” This statement signifies God’s eternal and omnipotent essence—an all-encompassing presence that transcends human understanding. Art historian Robert Rosenblum captured this spiritual sublimity in his exploration of Romantic painters, from Friedrich to Rothko, describing how the mysteries of religion shifted from the rituals of the church to the grandeur of the natural world.

I Am the I Am celebrates this enduring connection, weaving historical and contemporary works into a dialogue that highlights humanity’s ever-evolving relationship with the sublime. Join us as we explore the vast, the incomprehensible, and the timeless.