The Pure Presence

May 16 2025 - Jun 14 2025

Dan Drossman Solo Exhibition | May 16, 2025 – June 14, 2025

Opening Reception: Friday, May 16, 2025 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
First Friday Art Walk: Friday, June 6, 2025 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Bitfactory Gallery is proud to present The Pure Present a solo exhibition by artist Dan Drossman, on view May 16 – June 14, 2025. Drossman is expanding on his mixed-media paintings in which he collages bits of personal drawings, photos, and previously completed paintings into each piece. The works explore the idea that living in the moment is not possible, as our past experiences and memories constantly affect and influence us. The public is invited to an Opening Reception on Friday, May 16, 2025, 6-9 p.m., First Friday, June 6, 2025, and to visit the show during regular gallery hours as listed below.

Drossman’s inspiration comes from the ideas of French philosopher Henri Bergson, who states in his book “Matter and Memory”, that “The pure pre-sent is an ungraspable advance of the past devouring the future. In truth, all sensation is already memory.” The theory, as explained and illustrated by Ralph Ammer (ralphammer.com/Bergson-why-we-live-in-the-past/) is that “in order to recognize something that we see, we must recall memories that are similar to that thing. We enrich our present experience with our personal memories from the past. Without any memory we couldn’t recognize anything, we would be limited to the current moment.”

Drossman began collaging personal photos and discarded works into his paintings several years ago to reframe aspects of his past that he perceived as negative or meaningless, as a way to positively integrate them to his present situation. In this exhibition he advances this concept through a more intentional process, by bringing the immediate past — a recently created painting — into the piece he is his presently working on by photographing it, cutting up the photograph, and collaging small or large bits into the current work. This practice creates a visual timeline — a continuous thread between each artwork that mirrors how our memories, past experiences, and even unacknowledged traumas shape who we are today. The works invite the viewer to discover another layer of reflection in his intricate abstract expressionist paintings.

Bitfactory Gallery, located at 851 Santa Fe Drive in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. The building also houses Bitfactory Studios with the vision of providing a helpful, friendly working atmosphere for artists and Block Gallery, a pop-up gallery space available to rent in one-, three-, or seven-day blocks. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. and by appointment. For additional information please contact Bill Thomason at [email protected] or (303) 862-9367 or visit www.bitfactory.net. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram @bitfactorygallery and on X at @bitfactoryg