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Painting a Parallel World

July 22, 2026 - March 14, 2027

Images from left to right:  May Ling Kopecky Self Portrait - Multiple Sclerosis and My Body, 2022 colored pencil, ink, and graphite on Dura-Lar and graph paper; 71" x 30" ︎︎︎Image description: The portrait of a woman with brown hair is made of drawings of various parts of her body created using various techniques. Next to each drawing is a description of the portaied symptoms.  Benjamin Merrit Care is, 2020                                                             etching, aquatint, drypoint, sugarlift, spitbite; image 18 x 24”, full sheet 22 x 30”           ︎︎︎Image description: One black and white print, consisting of “care is” written in white on the top half, and a white rectangle on the bottom half. The text is sitting on a dark field of texture and gestural marks, the blank rectangle consists of faint texture.  Kym McDaniel Screenshot from Exit Strategy #1, Exit Strategies Series, 2017-2021 video series; 40:23 min ︎︎︎Image description: Silver spoons arranged on a table

Roger Wardin, Mount Pink, 2019, acrylic and oil on canvas


Roger Wardin: Painting a Parallel World

On View: July 22, 2026 - March 14, 2027


Born and based in Berlin, Roger Wardin received his Master of Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin, and has exhibited throughout Germany and the Netherlands. This exhibition marks his first presentation in the United States, however, his paintings are presented in the gallery as digital reproduction prints that are mounted directly to the wall. While this may be an unusual practice in a museum setting, it addresses several unique challenges and makes it possible to present works by international artists without creating a significant carbon footprint. The original large scale paintings, full of depth and energy, are held in private collections in Minnesota and throughout Europe. 


Early in Wardin’s studies he attended the Academy of Fine Arts (Städelschule) in Frankfurt, Germany, where he studied painting under Professor Jörg Immendorff who is recognized by his portrait in this exhibition. Warden is also inspired by notable German landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840) who is known for paintings of exaggerated landscapes and contemplative silhouettes. Friedrich’s influence comes through strongly in Wardin’s mountain landscapes and Entrance series, displayed here. 


Wardin’s atmospheric paintings emote a range of feelings and are a reaction to contemporary disquiet in society. The Entrance series, a nod to the popular television series, Twin Peaks, depict a shadowy figure in a wooded  setting. Peter Funken states in his catalogue essay on Wardin’s work that his paintings address “the notion of mysteriousness and confront the beholder with questions, the answers to which are to be sought among the dark and speculative.”


Rochester Art Center is grateful for Wardin’s collaboration to make this exhibition possible. For more information, please visit http://rogerwardin.com/. To inquire about purchasing an original painting by Roger Wardin, please email info@rogerwardin.com.



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