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David Afsah-Mohallatee Office: Campbell 430 |
Biography 
David Mohallatee, a native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, received his MFA in 1990 from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University in Philadelphia. He went on the complete his Tamarind Master Printer certification in 1996 at the Tamarind Institute of Lithography, University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Mr. Mohallatee joined the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University in 1998. Prior to his appointment at EKU he served as the printer - in-Residence at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, CO, and also as a Studio Assistant at the Penland School of Craft, Corridor Press, Vinalhaven Press and the Fabric Workshop. Mr. Mohallatee has lectured as a visiting artist at Universidad Central - Quito, Ecuador; Bowling Green State University, Ball State University and the University of Kentucky. Most recently he received the 2006 Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship, The Kentucky Arts Council, Frankfort, KY · Fellowship awarded for continuation of artistic development; Eastern Kentucky University - College of Arts & Science Research Award and the Rothermel Alumni Award from his undergraduate institution, Kutztown University in PA.
His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in juried and invitational exhibitions, appeared in several publications and a number of public and private collections hold samples of his prints.
International Exhibitions:
• Florean Museum, Baia Mare, Maramures ,Romania. "International Small Engraving Salon Carunari 2006"
• City Gallery of Uzice ,UZICE, Serbia, YUGOSLAVIA "VII GRAPHIC ART BIENNALE - Drypoint INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 2005"
• Municipal Art Gallery of ?ÓD?, ?ÓD?, Poland. "12 th INTERNATIONAL TRIENNIAL SMALL GRAPHIC FORMS, POLAND- ?ÓD? '05"
Artist Statement
The current series of works being exhibited: Habitat, Shelter, Bio-Structure, Ecuadorian Journey, and Book of Kings are computer-generated drawings / digital prints- paintings. I have approached each piece in the series with a similar sensibility towards markmaking achieved through traditional printmaking techniques. In the drawings / digital prints- paintings, I employ encaustic painting techniques with conventional printmaking and drawing applications juxtaposed with digitally enhanced imagery. The digital manipulation programs such as PhotoShop and Illustrator function as direct extensions of both printmaking and drawing applications. The process of reworking the surface of the materials in an abrasive fashion is important to the work in creating the rich, lush surfaces. Questioning the traditions and conventions of the media and this exploration in both prints and drawings are continuing themes in my work.
The substrates I incorporate for the small-scale digital prints/paintings are meticulously constructed wooden boxes that project the objects off the wall. These complement spatial relationships that are directly informed by the printmaking process resulting in the fabrication of a semi-sculptural object. I use wax to incase the objects and images in a skin-like layer that diffuses light and creates a repulsive yet extremely seductive surface. The plasticity of the wax gives the pieces a physical presence. The digitally manufactured image mimics painting in its manipulation of layers, transparency and opacity of the marks created in the computer programs.
The use of conventional drawing materials such as charcoal, graphite, pastel, erasers, color pencil and painting media such as watercolor and gouache are juxtaposed in their application to create a new visual dialogue. The combination of unrelated and semi-compatible materials and marks allow the pieces to germinate and develop an independent visual vocabulary.
All of these media create dark, meditative works, which allude to the erosion of architectural structures, their surfaces, and elements of nature, illuminated manuscripts, urban topography and traditional and contemporary fabric/wallpaper designs.
Samples of Work
