Light is artist Sam Friedman’s first publication, produced on the occasion of his exhibition Light at Library Street Collective (February 27 - April 3, 2021), which was curated by one of Friedman’s greatest contemporary influences and mentor, Brian Donnelly (KAWS). The sentient paintings of focus draw from earlier works that distill natural phenomena down to their most essential elements of line and color.

Complete with 291 pages and a custom slip-case, Light surveys Friedman’s Cave Paintings, and includes a foreword written by Library Street Collective founder and partner Anthony Curis, essays by Library Street Collective Senior Director Sara Nickleson, friends and collaborators Dan Santoro, Ned Vena, and Sue Kwon, a poem written by Nicolas Atkins, and a conversation between Friedman and lifelong friend and fellow artist Josh Sperling.

Dimensions: 11 x 9 Inches 

Medium: Limited edition 291 page art book with custom slip case.

Provenance: Comes with Gallery Certificate of Authenticity.

Edition: Limited Edition of 1500

Year: 2023

Condition: Excellent

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Sam Friedman moves between representational and abstract depictions with seeming ease and spontaneity. His paintings explore the formal concerns of paint, tools and surfaces as they relate to the scale of the human body, and his narratives resist progressive plots; without a beginning or end, the works become infinite. For each piece he manifests, there are countless interpretations that do not become physical, yet remain in the artist’s mind with a boundlessness that resonates with the viewer.

Friedman’s work is rooted in the tradition of American Abstract Expressionist painters who explored line, color, and the systematic application of paint. Within this heritage, Friedman examines methodical processes where repetition and self imposed parameters lay the groundwork for his compositions but permit him the freedom to build each piece instinctively by hand. Rather than masking each successive gradient to create a manufactured finish, the artist premixes his colors and lays down line after line freehand, allowing imperfections to emerge.

Friedman studied illustration and typography at the Pratt Art Institute and has presented solo exhibitions in the United States, Europe and Asia. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Artsy, Hypebeast, High Snobiety, Juxtapoz and other publications.

Born in Oneonta, New York in 1984
Lives and works in Pleasant Valley, New York