Editions & Objects
Editions & Objects presents a curated selection of artist-made works, studio editions, and design objects developed in collaboration with artists and craftspeople within the S7CAG network.
These works extend the gallery’s program through thoughtfully produced pieces that reflect material integrity, authorship, and studio practice.
Selections range from small-format editions and printed matter to functional ceramics, limited design objects, and select reproduction works.
Each piece is chosen for its artistic merit and its capacity to serve as a lasting point of connection between artist and collector, while supporting sustainable studio production across the program. This division reflects the gallery’s commitment to sustaining artistic production across multiple forms and formats.
The themes of sacrifice, suffering, and healing are intricately embedded in symbolic forms, such as the Geneva Cross, otherwise known as the ‘Red Cross’. In this sense, pictorial language is seen as a more dynamic and broader interpretation of the natural world, showcasing the aspects that are typically overlooked or discarded by the public. Understanding Schwab's inspiration involves recognizing his commitment to exploring the evidence and structure of reality, akin to the Renaissance approach, seeking an objective description that offers clear perspectives on appearances and the functioning of the world.
Therefore, delving into Schwab's creative world requires an appreciation of the profound emotional and intellectual layers he weaves into his art—a synthesis of personal experiences, thematic exploration, and a dynamic creative process. Within these compositions, there is a discernible interplay between the artist's personal experiences, nature, and the broader influences of historical events and cultural phenomena. Through this amalgamation, Schwab articulates his response to the complexities of existence, transforming personal narratives into tangible artistic expressions. Through the tactile nature of his constructions, he engages with his emotions, offering a unique and authentic perspective on life's challenges and triumphs.
Norman Schwab's artistic inspiration extensively draws from his personal experiences, infusing his work with a deep and intimate connection to life events that combine to create a poignant exploration of the human condition, rooted in the wellspring of his own journey. Schwab's personal experiences act as a rich source, providing him with raw material for expression and reflection while remaining committed to exploring the evidence and structure of reality. Shaped by these personal experiences, this commitment provides viewers with a window into the artist's inner world.
Ultimately, Schwab's inspiration from nature and surroundings adds a layer of universality to his art, connecting viewers to broader themes of life, growth, decay, and renewal. The exploration of these sources in his artistic endeavors demonstrates Schwab's ability to translate the beauty and complexity of the natural world into compelling and thought-provoking compositions.
Schwab's work frequently explores themes of death, delving into poignant issues surrounding it. His pieces are intimately personal, human-scale experiences that prominently touch on loss, mourning, and remembrance. Schwab's thematic repertoire often features art that functions as memorials, addressing significant emotional and psychological issues. His works are characterized by a strong physical presence and emotional impact. Additionally, they often contemplate death as a creative force, touching on the artist's own early experiences of loss within his family. The work is frequently imbued with psychological dissonance and the evocation of intrusive fears. However, in the end, Schwab stands as if holding a 'stained cloth,' recalling faces like a distant whisper of all that has passed through his life. What people extract from Schwab's work depends, in part, on what they bring to it, how they perceive life, what they have experienced, and how far they are willing to travel into the artwork.
Through diverse materials and unexpected imagery, Schwab's art weaves a narrative that interconnects remnants of memory with broader tragedies and psychic violence, making his work a multi-layered exploration of the human condition. Schwab's creations walk the delicate edge between what was and what is, balancing intellectual clarity drawn from art history with a survivor's keen appreciation for the fragility of everyday things. Sacrifice, suffering, and healing are recurring motifs, symbolically embedded in forms like the Geneva Cross or within the entirety of an art piece, such as 'The Alec Project.' This work encapsulates the objectification of a painful event, displaying an intellectual pursuit of rationale that stumbles over the emotion-filled reality of a child who once wore the shoes attached to the canvas. The vivid remembrance of the youth is not yet outweighed by the cold facts of his death, demonstrating that life is a delicate construct. The juxtaposition of beautiful and grotesque elements, along with a sense of irony, adds complexity to Schwab's themes.
Norman Schwab
Fallen Angel
Schwab's art is a deeply personal exploration of reality and memory, aiming to achieve the visually sublime while involving viewers in an interactive field of vision. Early encounters with the profound loss of close family members leave an indelible mark on his work, making it an act of private rumination. The emotional resonance of these experiences infuses his creations with a depth that goes beyond mere aesthetics, creating a nuanced narrative that resonates with viewers on a visceral level.
Schwab’s artwork also has a subtle impact, seducing viewers into realms of deep and typically avoided emotions. His creations paint mental landscapes of foreboding and melancholy that infiltrate the consciousness with an emotional wrench, delivering a rude awakening. The sense of wrestling with materials reinforces the struggle with emotion.
In Schwab's body of work, a majority is metaphorically positioned at a juncture where the artist and the viewer reflect nostalgically on a time of innocence, already overshadowed by a sense of tragedy and grief. Simultaneously, the work anticipates a future where one endures with stoicism and irony the relentless onslaught of life's emotionally and physically buffeting events.
Norman Schwab
Art Box (diptych)
The creative process involves translating his lived moments into tactile, expressionist wall constructions that possess a compelling physical presence and evoke a powerful emotional impact. The process of making art is like having a dialogue with oneself.
The origin of Schwab's subject matter varies. At times, it starts with an event or experience. A person or a memory can also suggest a body of work. A simple object, with perceived characteristics of animism, can also be the impetus for the work. What is common among all of these origins is that each triggers a responsive chord—whether intuitive or cognitive, whether intellectual or emotional.
Some ideas gestate over a long period of time, satisfied to dwell in the form of a sketch, a scrap cutout, or simply jotted down on paper as notations, titles, or obscure poetry. Other ideas confront Schwab like the shock of an uninvited guest, requiring an immediate response. A familiar characteristic is that the idea is sustained and intense. Once work begins, everything is subject to change.
The photographic imagery used in Schwab’s artwork largely comes from his original photographs. However, when a piece requires it, images are appropriated from the news media or historical sources. Schwab's complex photo-etching technique involves manipulating these images, printing them on unusual grounds like cloth, fiberglass, and paper, challenging traditional artistic mediums. Cultural influences manifest in the imagery he selects, often drawn from personal family mementos, newspaper photographs, art history, or even pictures of women in dated erotic poses.
Schwab asserts that he paints with objects, emphasizing a hands-on, immersive approach to his artistic process. This layering of diverse imagery and materials becomes a commentary on societal discards and the collective pluralism of the time. This unique blend of materials and themes results in a sculptural quality to his paintings, combining two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements, creating a profound and thought-provoking artistic experience for the viewer.
Norman Schwab
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Best Wishes
Regular price $3,900 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Lobster Hat
Regular price $2,015 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Keys to the Kingdom
Regular price $7,290 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Fallen Angel
Regular price $1,680 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Roots of Life
Regular price $2,400 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Back Home
Regular price $1,440 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Art Box (diptych)
Regular price $2,810 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Pastry Love
Regular price $3,900 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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What's Old is New
Regular price $1,152 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Ain't Out to Make Beauty
Regular price $1,969 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Make a Wish
Regular price $1,470 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Joan of Arc
Regular price $4,490 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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To Dick
Regular price $1,188 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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It's Hard to Love an Old Dog
Regular price $2,700 USDRegular priceUnit price per
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Picture This
Regular price $1,345 USDRegular priceUnit price per
Available Works
Available Works features original artworks currently offered through S7CAG in collaboration with represented and exhibiting artists.
These works are sourced directly from artists’ studios and reflect the evolving dialogue between emerging and established voices within our program.
Each work is selected with collector placement, artistic integrity, and long-term value in mind.