ANT BELTRÁN


Curator, Art Historian, Researcher
 

OMNICOMPRESSANT:A 2D MANIFESTO


In an art landscape increasingly oriented towards dimensional, immersive, and algorithmically generated forms, Omnicompressant: A 2D Manifesto asserts a necessary revaluation of 2D. This exhibition challenges the prevailing hierarchy that often relegates two-dimensional work to a preliminary or secondary role, instead reasserting the 2D plane as a primary site of rigorous experimentation, critical thinking, and finality. The bias against 2D is not just an aesthetic preference; it reflects a broader cultural shift overlooks its essential function.

In showcasing the integral cognitive and technical framework that 2D practice provides,we dismantle the notion of it being simply a sketch for "more advanced" works. In a world that prizes the polished final product, we pull back the curtain to demystify the creative act itself. The works on display reveal the often-unseen process, the experiments, failures, and "dimensional hops” fundamental to making.
We aim to make
the labour of creation more transparent, offering inspiration not just in the destination, but in the journey.

Ultimately, Omnicompressant champions the primal, democratic power of the mark, the line, and the plane as an essential mode of human communication and a critical tool for navigating our complex visual environment.

The Good Rice Gallery, London
25 September - 4 October 2025
Ant Beltrán, Curator
Astrid Aerts, Co-Curator
Salomé Sierra, Public Relations




Libby Hoffenberg, Sliced Form, UV Print on Acryclic, 2025.
Kennedy Schroeder, I’m Glad We Went, Oil on Canvas, 2025.
Dr. Sarah Libman, Untitled (Experimental Drip Piece 2), Photograph.
Kitty Jenkins, An Embodiment, Charcoal on Paper Collage, 2025.
(L) Andrea Arnold, A Tribute, Oil on Wood.
(R) Hanna Wentz, Sensortype #3319, UV Print on Textured Glass.


PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Andrea Arnold
Hannah Bailey
Cathy Chou
Arefe H.
Libby Hoffenberg
Kitty Jenkins
Sarah Libman
Dan Liu
Pan Panayiotou
Kennedy Schroeder
Marina Trani
Faye Van Andel
Daoguang Wen
Hanna Wentz