Burn Bright Exhibit

Burn Bright is a showcase of works by artist Dennis McNett, tracing the evolution of his printmaking practice across both traditional and nontraditional forms. McNett was introduced to woodcut printmaking at a community college in Virginia Beach in 1990. He went on to study art and printmaking at Old Dominion University, where he received his BFA in 2000, and later earned his MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Since that early introduction, relief printmaking has remained the foundation of his practice, shaping a distinct and recognizable visual language. After producing dozens of prints between 1991 and 1998, McNett began expanding beyond the flat surface, incorporating his prints onto sculptural forms like skin. By 2001, after relocating to New York City, his work gained broader visibility, appearing on skateboards for Antihero, Vans footwear, and in galleries across the United States and internationally.

Over time, his relief prints have evolved from traditional editions on paper into a versatile material used in collage, murals, sculpture, masks, and, more recently, puppets and mobile works activated through processions and performances worldwide.

In 2006, his work took another step forward—moving from static three-dimensional forms into the streets of New York City for the Jeffrey Deitch Art Parade. This marked the beginning of an ongoing series of performative happenings and processions featuring his larger-than-life puppets and movable sculptures.

This exhibition presents that progression—following a centuries-old technique as it transforms through experimentation, material exploration, and movement into new, dynamic forms.