Maxwell Volkman, Tweakin, 2023, 34x 44 in. Acrylic, oil, inkjet prints, I’ve varnish, cut paper,

colored pencil, and staples on canvas

By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE

GURE – Alex Adkinson & Maxwell Volkman: The River Sweats with Oil and Tar

GURE, located in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, is presenting its third exhibition titled “The River Sweats with Oil and Tar,” featuring the works of artists Alex Adkinson and Maxwell Volkman. GURE is a converted garage with an industrial design and provides a unique backdrop for the two-person show. The exhibition explores themes of angst and critiques of American culture through mixed media artworks that reflect on post-industrial landscapes and societal issues.

GURE, owned and operated by Sharmarke Ahmed, is located on a quiet residential street. Enter through the side yard gate to find an enchanting garden setting and a fire pit where people gather. The gallery is in the rear corner of the yard and features industrial components including brick walls, a metal garage door, and concrete floors, alongside modern white walls. It suits the Adkinson and Volkman show perfectly. 

Installation view. Work by Alex Adkinson on left and by Maxwell Volkman on right.

Adkinson's mixed media artworks use materials such as steel, copper, reclaimed wood, inkjet prints, and various other elements to create pieces with an organic and raw aesthetic. Volkman uses various materials like paint, duct tape, shooting targets, grommets, inkjet prints, cut paper, and fingerprints to create textured visual compositions. They both tackle contemporary issues: Adkinson focuses on post-industrial landscapes and ecological problems, while Volkman explores fear, trauma, drug culture, and violence. Their work shares an organic quality that complements each other in the GURE framework.

Adkinson's relocation from Tallahassee to Chicago has significantly influenced his recent work, integrating elements of both natural and urban environments seamlessly. As an artist and digital imaging researcher focusing on biodiversity, his surroundings are understandably crucial to him. In Tallahassee, he experienced isolation and swampy conditions, which he found powerful. In contrast, he believes that the densely populated urban environment of Chicago exerts a stronger influence on him. This is evident in his artwork, exploring themes of alienation and beauty in a post-industrial landscape. The Midwest’s abandoned factories, rusted steel and objects, crumbling bricks, and industrial agriculture highlight significant changes in the landscape. These conditions, coupled with the constant lack of solitude in the city, deeply affect Adkinson. He notes that he and Volkman share concerns about their examinations of American culture, feeling frustration, angst, and melancholy in a problematic world.

Alex Adkinson, Wished-for Disappearances, 2025, 10 X 22 in., Steel, reclaimed wood, acrylic, inkjet print, aluminum 

Adkinson's inspirations are diverse. He aligns with T.S. Eliot's sentiments on modernity and the wasteland, which inspired the GURE exhibit title. Others include Gilberto Zorio, Robert Smithson, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Sasha Fishman, and Heana Yoo.

Adkinson's work at GURE features three small assemblages, a collage on paper, and two larger sculptures. 'Fidelity Ablation,' an 8-foot-tall sculpture made of steel, acrylic, and photographic print on polyvinyl, stands prominently on the lawn outside the gallery.

The gallery features four smaller pieces displayed on the walls, along with Adkinson's floor sculpture 'A Measure of Growth,' which is 51-inches tall. The eye-catching sculpture features tall urban fruiting grass, steel, copper, mounted objects, and clay bowls suspended by chains. It balances a calm presence suitable for a yoga studio with an unusual vibe that suggests a ritualistic gathering. It Illustrates the beauty and ambiguity present within the post-industrial environment.

The small pieces are intricate and interesting as well. ‘Wished-for Disappearances,’ made from materials including reclaimed wood, acrylic, aluminum, a nature photo, and part of a rusted pitchfork fished out of the Chicago River, tells a compelling story. I appreciated the piece and its narrative. Adkinson employs a diverse and rich array of materials in his work, and the palette features muted, earthy tones. His work is elegant, poetic, and fragile, yet still conveys a sense of frenetic movement, akin to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, which transitions from an acoustic intro to a rock anthem.

Alex Adkinson, A Measure of Growth, 2024, 51 X 28 X 12 in. Steel, copper, wild clay, urban fruiting grass, root  ball, bismuth, manoammonium, phosphate, copper sulphate 

Volkman relocated to Chicago in 2019 from Tacoma, WA and obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute (SAIC). He consistently made collages before his arrival, and he still does. At GURE, he is showcasing two collaged acrylic and oil canvases, along with two smaller collaged acrylic and flashe works on paper. 'Tweakin,' a 34 x 44-inch painting, portrays an individual in a stapled shut yellow straitjacket, encapsulating Volkman's exploration of themes related to discomfort. The piece incudes an image of a Xanax tablet and the text "Ketamine Infusion.” On the opposite wall is 'Confetti,' a piece related to Ketamine featuring multiple images of Crysten Ritter as Jane from Breaking Bad, with red paint resembling blood. Volkman's art, though unsettling, grabs attention like drivers observing accidents. His paintings combine spectacle with nuance to explore broader themes and issues. Volkman suggests that horror helps people manage anxiety, fear, and trauma, and he uses his art to process events and engage with the world. 

Volkman cites Francis Bacon, David Wojnarowicz, Sterling Ruby, Dash Snow, Daniel Johnston, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Harmony Korine as influences. His work explores themes of mental illness, social class, drugs, dark humor, religion, and violence. Volkman notes that his night terrors affect his art as well. He sources images online, from mass media, videos, horror films, and photography that evoke unease, fear, loss of control, and helplessness. Volkman integrates these images into his layered paintings, producing visuals that are subtly unsettling yet socially pertinent.

 Maxwell Volkman, 2 Geeked, 2025, 24 x 18.75 in. Acrylic, flashe, inkjet prints, cut paper, colored pencil, duct tape, shooting targets, and grommets on paper in custom poplar frame

The works on paper pieces ‘2 Geeked,’ and ‘Snow White,’ are good examples of this. 'Snow White' shows an alluring dark-haired woman encircled by enticing blue OxyContin pills. In '2 Geeked,' an erotic woman holding a gun faces the viewer with red paint dripping like blood, and the word OMEN appears in block text above her. It exhibits qualities that are both repelling and provocative, making it notable in the show (and my favorite by Volkman.) The theme from The Exorcist, Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield, would complement Volkman’s work perfectly.

Volkman framed the two 24 X 18.75 inch works on paper to harmonize with Adkinson’s industrial style. He made wood frames and spray-painted them with Rust-Oleum Chrome Metallic Finish. The paintings are attached to the frames using grommets, screws, and staples, with fingerprints visible on the frames. The faux-metal frames enhance 'Snow White' and '2 Geeked,' Volkman’s newest pieces. 

Art often reflects society, and this exhibition does just that. It offers not only an aesthetic experience but also a commentary on contemporary issues.

Both artists have upcoming local exhibitions. Adkinson will be in a two-person show at Sawhorse, and Volkman will participate in a two-person exhibition at LVL3.

The exhibition continues at GURE through June 28^th and is open by appointment only. DM for address and to schedule viewing.