Taking cues and inspiration from the materials themselves, American artist Nan Swid allows for an open methodology as she works, deconstructing and rearranging rare and antique bibliographic files. Covers are detached, bindings conjoined and ragged remains of books flatten underneath layers of encaustic wax. Swid breathes new life into her weatherworn materials, eloquently stacking and combining her objects into compositions that exude a controlled serenity despite exposed cracks and fissures.

Enigmatically, the rich, tactile surfaces seductively lure viewers towards the work, yet, continue to maintain their own sense of privacy, seamlessly intersecting aspects of paintings, sculpture and collage. Nan Swid lives and works in New York City. Her artworks have been reviewed in The New York Times, Art in America, ArtNEWS, and several others. While working in the studio Nan Swid was also a principal founder of Swid Powell, the iconic firm that collaborated with noted architects such as Richard Meier, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, and Robert A. M. Stern to produce decorative objects of the highest order. Archives from this endeavor are currently housed with The Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut. 

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Lives and works in New York City
Co-founder, Swid-Powell

Solo Exhibitions

2013
In Formation, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY

2008
Nan Swid: Revelations in Paper, CDS Gallery, New York, NY

Group Exhibitions

2015
See Me, Feel Me, Margaret Thatcher Projects, NY
Reconfigured, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY

2014 
Turn Up the Heat, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY

2013
Minimal Intervention, Pavel Zoubok Gallery, New York, NY

2012
Extending the Line 1, Arevalo Gallery, Miami, FL
Cut, Drawn, Painted: Works on Paper, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY
Surface Tension, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY

2011
EX LIBRIS, Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York, NY

2010
Nan Swid / Donald Kaufman, Gallery 9E, New York, NY

Publications

2014
Kley, Elizabeth, “Nan Swid at Margaret Thatcher Projects”, ARTNews, January

2013
“The Lookout: Nan Swid at Margaret Thatcher Projects”, Art in America, September 26
Layulan, Oscar “Picture This: Get the 411 at Margaret Thatcher Projects”, ArteFuse, September 23
Stevens, Elizabeth, “September 2013 is Like a Box of Chocolates”, CultureCatch.com, September 26

2012
Columbia, David Patrick, “Fall Autumn Night”, New York Social Diary

2010
McDonald, DJ, “Counting Cards at Grandma’s: Nan Swid and Donald Kaufman Recent Work at Gallery 9E”, Culturebot.
Dixon, Erin, “Four Days of Nan Swid and Donald Kaufman”, Dossier.
Browne, Alix, “Now Showing Swid/Kaufman”, T Magazine Blog - NYTimes.com
Syme, Rachel, “Blogs & Stories”, The Daily Beast

1990
Annette Tapert with Paul Goldberger; “Swid Powell: Objects by Architects.” Rizzoli; 1st edition 1990.