SPLIT LEVEL: Ali Della Bitta & Drew Goerlitz
SPLIT LEVEL: Ali Della Bitta & Drew Goerlitz
October 1-3, 2026
hosted by Rimadesio, 102 Madison Avenue, NYC
VIP PREVIEW
Thursday, Oct. 1st / 3 - 6 pm
OPEN HOURS
Thursday, Oct. 1st / 6 - 8 pm
Friday, Oct. 2nd / 12 - 6 pm
Saturday, Oct. 3rd / 12 - 6 pm
New York, NY–For the second year in a row Artist Estate Studio, LLC, is pleased to participate in SPLIT LEVEL, October 1-3, 2026. Curated by Jason Andrew, founding partner at Artist Estate Studio LLC, the presentation will feature works by the ceramic-based sculptor by Ali Della Bitta, the sculptural constructions by Drew Goerlitz, and the pairs collaborative work.
Della Bitta and Goerlitz live and work in the Adirondack Mountains in the high peaks of New York state. Della Bitta's clay-based work reflects on changing ecosystems and our growing impact on the natural world. Goerlitz's constructions come from a builder's sense of structure, balance, and assembly. Additionally, they are both designers and builders founding Contemporary North Builders where they bring a shared artistic vision to designing and building contemporary homes inspired by the natural landscapes of the Adirondack Mountains.
Founded by the artist Jacqueline Cedar, SPLIT LEVEL brings together a selection of young galleries focused on championing emerging artists working in a wide range of media. Hosted by Rimadesio, SPLIT LEVEL takes a playful approach to installation within this design-centered space. A schedule of performances and talks will be offered throughout the fair’s run, encouraging visitors to engage with artworks, gallerists, and artists on site.
© Damian Battinelli
ALI DELLA BITTA is an artist inspired by shifting landscape ecosystems and the growing human impact on natural spaces. Her work serves as a meditation on impermanence—exploring the intimate often fragile elements of both clay and nature. Using diverse materials, including ceramics and recycled elements, Della Bitta builds a world at the intersection of art, environmental consciousness, and ecology, prompting reflection on sustainability, conservation and stewardship. Through her sculpture, she invites viewers to engage with the delicate systems of the natural world and consider how art can shape our relationship with the planet.
Ali Della Bitta + Drew Goerlitz (collaboration), Playground no.1, 2026, ceramic, wood, foam and bronze, 17L x 12W x 8H inches
© Damian Battinelli
Della Bitta and Goerlitz met in 2002 at Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota and have worked together for more than two decades. Their collaborations often move beyond the gallery and into the landscape. In 2009, during their fellowship at Franconia, they designed and built the Earthwork Amphitheater. The project includes a performance stage, trees planted to define the space, and earthen mounds shaped to seat the audience. They also created a gathering space and an artist residence for the park. Their first public commission together was at Evans Parkway Neighborhood Park in Silver Spring, Maryland, a project centered on restoring the park's ecosystem. Across all of this work, they treat art as something to live with, gather around, and care for.
That commitment led them to found Contemporary North. Based in the Adirondacks' High Peaks region, it designs and builds custom homes that bring together contemporary art, natural materials, and sustainable living, and it supports independent artists. The works on view at SPLIT LEVEL come from this same sensibility. Here, the line between sculpture, object, and home becomes an open question.
© Damian Battinelli
DREW GOERLITZ is a distinguished sculptor and builder. A majority of his practice involves the use of steel, where Goerlitz harnesses the history and nomenclature of classical marble columns and gothic façades, transforming their accepted architecture and representing them into works that address our dynamic and contemporary times. Beyond the inspiration of architectural forms, Goerlitz has a deep respect for nature–exploring themes of environmental change and the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Never one to shy away from scale, Goerlitz draws inspiration from the rugged landscapes around him–especially the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks–evoking a sense of movement, balance, and energy, inviting viewers to engage with the materials and their stories.
