As a materialist, Gallagher’s sculptures are constructed from mostly stone, brick and wood found on the streets across the city of Lowell. He considers himself a hunter-gatherer as he goes on walks looking for material with which to construct his sculptures. His works take the shape of cairns, some trophy-like, and potentially, funerary monuments.

“I use stone-age methods and occasionally iron age utensils because I like the simplicity of it. I’m an anti-technologist,” Gallagher explains.

Besides having a predilection for stacking things, Gallagher considers himself hugely influenced by the cubist works of Picasso and Braque.

Exhibit curator Mary Hart adds, “Charles’ work is at the intersection between common place materials and the Zen moment of poise and balance, inviting contemplation and reverence for form and shape. This is also echoed in the careful composition of his select and wonderful paintings.”

Gallagher has created stone work from Maine to Western Massachusetts to New York yet rarely exhibits, although he has several pieces in private collections. He’ll be re-creating some of his stacks for the exhibit at Greenwald Gallery. He currently works out of his home studio in Lowell.

Greenwald Gallery is located inside the Arts League of Lowell (ALL) Arts Gallery at 307 Market Street in Lowell.  Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 PM and Sunday, noon to 4 PM.

Mary Hart is a Lowell resident, an artist member of the Arts League of Lowell (ALL), the founder of Downtown Lowell First Thursdays, and an adjunct professor in the art department at Middlesex Community College.