Pasquarelli’s work actuates a visual language which represents the workings of the human mind. Through analysis of his own OCD, and research into mental health, philosophy, and the physical properties of nature, Pasquarelli seeks to better understand the connections between physical reality and the mind: making visible everyday aspects of our experience of the world and evidence of our presence within it as proof of our existence.
Conducting field research in environments that exemplify the relationships between humanity and our possessions is a major component of his practice. Pasquarelli has visited homes of those affected by mental health disorders like OCD and hoarding, as well as the inaccessible, unseen storage facilities of personal and museum collections of art. The knowledge gained through his interviews and the photographs he takes have become integral parts of his process. By creating artworks based on these spaces, he has come to perceive our physical surroundings as a manifestation of the psyche. Pasquarelli’s paintings are more than representations of possessions, they are portraits of our minds.
Richard Pasquarelli has exhibited his work in solo and group exhibitions in museums, galleries, and art fairs throughout the U.S. and Europe. His work is represented globally in many public and private collections including The Cleveland Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, Flint Institute of Arts, The US Library of Congress, the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection, The Zabludowicz Collection, MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, General Dynamics Inc., Progressive Insurance, Roanoke College Art Collection, Syracuse University Art Collection, and The Mattatuck Museum of Art. Selected residencies, awards and commissions include MASS MoCA, Ucross Foundation, The Ragdale Foundation, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The Print Club of Cleveland Annual Presentation Print commission for 2017, and multiple public installations for the City of New York. Pasquarelli has been a visiting artist and advisor, lectured on, and been interviewed about his work at Yale University, Syracuse University, Roanoke College, WPKN Radio, Whitehot Art World Podcast, and Radio Free Brooklyn, to name a few. Pasquarelli was born in 1968 and received his BFA from Syracuse University. Pasquarelli lives and works in New York City.
