Nathan Catlin

Nathan in front of his work in his studio.

American b. 1984 — Nathan Catlin is a Brooklyn-based artist interested in narrative within the vein of folklore and myths. Influenced greatly by classical paintings, comic books, and tattoos he uses allegory to explore human interactions, cause and effect, and morality. Each image alludes to a before and after and each allows the viewer to place their personal feelings or desires into the individuals within his works. He draws inspiration from the compositions and narratives of old master painters and printmakers such as Bruegel, Durer, and Goya. In addition to his primary mediums of paintings and printmaking, Nathan also works in ceramics, glass tile mosaics, and stained glass. In 2017, Nathan had his first solo show at Davidson Gallery in Chelsea, NY. He was also awarded the ApexArt travel fellowship in the summer of 2017. Most recently. Nathan was part of a large group show "Drawn Over" at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Serbia.

A finished linoleum block ready or inking.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of making your work? 

I start with photographs that I’ve taken of people for random reasons. Usually going through my photo library I try to find figures that are in interesting poses — people that I can transpose into new environments. From there, I create a narrative for those figures to live in and I build the image around those ideas.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment, I am working on images about starting up again. About being alone and hopefully not being alone.

Nathan Catlin
The Search, 2018.
40 x 28 inches (101.6 x 71.12 cm).
Relief Print, Edition of 3.

We selected two of your prints and one painting, yet they look similar stylistically which we think is very interesting. Can you talk about your relationship with both mediums?

I enjoy and believe in the aesthetic of printmaking, more specifically woodcuts. I question value and medium by making the works almost identical aesthetically. Once that happens I question the value placed upon the work. Prints have always been devalued mostly because of its place of being a multiple. If I were to make one print off of the woodcut would its value be equal to that of a painting? Or will the painting always have more value simply by being a painting?

What are some references you draw upon in your work? Are there any themes in particular that you like to focus on when creating?

Nathan Catlin
Bonfire, 2018.
28 x 40 inches (71.12 x 101.60 cm).
Relief Print, Edition of 3.

I reference a lot of classical works, church paintings, comic book pages, and tattoos. Themes I focus on are human interaction, morality, and cause and effect. Essentially, I am interested in the human condition.

Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence, has that changed?

IPCNY and Davidson Gallery New York.

Do you have any shows coming up?

I have a two page spread in issue 13 of Pressing Matters magazine out of the UK. I also have a mural up at SECCA Contemporary Art Museum in NC.

Nathan Catlin’s work is included in our show “In the Cool of the Evening,” Oct. 30th – Dec. 30th. Visit his website or Instagram (@Natcatwhisperer) to see more of his work.