Monday, November 18, 2019

Gabriel Hartley at Foxy Production

Gabriel Hartley
Gabriel Hartley: Waterwood
Opening: Friday, November 22nd, 6 - 8 pm
Nov 22, 2019 - Jan 12, 2020
Foxy Production
2 East Broadway, 200
New York, NY 10038, USA

From the Press Release:
Foxy Production is pleased to present Waterwood, Gabriel Hartley’s latest solo exhibition at the gallery. Hartley is known for his abstracted paintings that evoke figures and cityscapes. His new series of acrylic and ink paintings on wood suggests vistas of landforms and weather systems, and, at the same time, images from inner space, of the body or mind. The works play with the duality of representational painting: while it may simulate the world, it can also be appreciated as a confluence of forms, colors, and textures. The exhibition taps into the visceral pleasures of the opposing drives of human perception: to both sustain illusion and to deconstruct it.
Gabriel Hartley (London, UK, 1981) lives and works in London. He holds a BA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Fine Art from the Royal Academy Schools, London.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Len Bellinger: Online Exhibition on ARTSY

Len Bellinger: Recent Paintings and Works on Paper
An online exclusive exhibition on ARTSY by M. David & Co.

View exhibition here.

From the Press Release:
For forty years Len Bellinger’s work has been committed to the exploration of abstract/non-representational painting and the ambiguous space inherent in the concept of ‘abstraction,’ from early icon-shaped minimalist panels trimmed with gold leaf as a P.S.1 studio resident in the late ’70’s to thickly manipulated paintings rich with byzantine color and an underlying architectonic structure found in his current practice.

“Taking off from the overall schemes of Renaissance altarpieces, Len Bellinger builds up heavily textured architectural paintings that have a feeling of sculptural mass. While retaining echoes of the original forms – faint, arching shapes and linear paneling – Bellinger reworks the altarpieces into very contemporary explorations of light and color…Their evident link to the past intensifies the calm strength of these meditative paintings.” 
- Grace Glueck



Eraser by Brian Edmonds and Curating Contemporary


Eraser is a new Curating Contemporary quarterly published by painter and curator, Brian Edmonds. Curating Contempoary was begun in 2012 with the goal of connecting artists, curators, and likeminded people. Since its inception, curatingcontemporary.com has hosted over 50 shows and the work of hundreds of artists.  

From the Press Release:


"Starting this month I will publish a Curating Contemporary quarterly titled ERASER. The quarterly will feature the work of 6 artists, interviews conducted by artists and curators, and poetry.  Volume 1, features work by Susan Carr, Sabine Tress, Melanie Parke, Valerie Brennan, Mandy Lyn Ford, and Ellen Siebers;  with interviews by Christina Renfer Vogel, Catherine Haggarty, Brianna Bass, Dana-Marie Lemmer, Jodi Hays, and Amelia Briggs; poem by Alexis Christakes. The book is available through Blurb."

- Brian Edmonds




Monday, October 28, 2019

This Full Moon: Image and Text by Nehal Devi


Digital image of traditional Indian miniature reworked by Nehal Devi
Original: Krishna and His Family Admire a Solar Eclipse, Kangra school, India, 1710 - 1778; 
from the Freer + Sackler Collection

Jyeshtha Purnima, This full moon
Give up your seeking.
What you seek
Is seeking you,
In a way far beyond
You or your seeking.
Remember, when you see the Moon today
Thousands who are seeing too.
And in that seeing
We are all connected.
This full moon, knowing
The isolation is an illusion,
And in that knowing
We are all connected.


by Nehal Devi



Nehal Devi is a yogini and an artist, who expresses herself through varied forms: painting, performance and moving/still images. She explores the seemingly paradoxical relationship between Nehal, the ‘self’ identified with her name and form (the relative ‘I’) and Devi, the unchanging unidentified ‘Self’ (the absolute ‘I’). Her work focuses on I-I.








Saturday, October 26, 2019

Anki King: Haunting the Shadows


Anki King presents a gathering on All Hallows' Eve.

Haunting the Shadows 
Gathering on October 31, 6-8 pm
10/31 - 11/03

Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects
208 Forsyth Street
New York, NY

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Gather / Discuss: A Talk with Benjamin Pritchard and Benjamin La Rocco




There have been some great chances to catch an in depth look at the work of Benjamin Pritchard.
The latest opportunity is on view through October 27th at SFA Projects in the form of the two person exhibition The Time Circle.
Pritchard and Benjamin La Rocco have long discussed the possibility of this exhibition that explores and reinforces the two's common concerns.

This Sunday on the final day of the exhibition SFA Projects will host an informal gathering and discussion on the ongoing dialogue between these two longtime friends.

Gather / Discuss
Sunday, October 27, 3 - 6 PM
SFA Projects
526 W 26th Street (Chelsea Location)
New York, NY




Benjamin La Rocca

Benjamin Pritchard 

Benjamin Pritchard

Benjamin La Rocco

Benjamin Pritchard

Benjamin Pritchard

Detail from above

Monday, September 23, 2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Common and Transcendent Experiences: The Art of Kamonchanok Phon-ngam

Kamonchanok Phon-ngam on the Lower East Side, NYC
Photo by: Ryan Teeramate


 Kamonchanok Phon-ngam is a multi-disciplinary artist and an integral part of the art communities in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

Her art practice and the ideas that fuel it are wide ranging, deeply personal and frequently visionary.

Phon-ngam pushes the medium and methods of fabric and sewing far beyond their traditional associations with craft by infusing them with a contemporary personal narrative as well as shared experiences of life in New York City.

Often she uses indigenous materials as a foundation and backdrop to be embellished by the more traditional methods of drawing, collage and a painter's eye for color and composition.
The satisfying combination of the historic and the intimate transforms matter into a shared experience of the mundane and the discarnate.

Kamonchanok Phon-ngam was born in 1986 and is a Thai artist living in New York City. In 2013 she completed her MFA at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang in Bangkok.

Her work has been presented at the National Art Museum of China and the Beppu Art Museum Oita in Japan. Phon-ngam has exhibited extensively in New York City since 2016; including a solo exhibition at Sugar Club and many group shows at venues such as the Roger Smith Hotel, TRANS-CEN-DER at Brooklyn Fireproof, the Friday Studio Gallery and SFA Projects.

For more information on Kamonchanok Phon-ngam's work and upcoming projects visit her website here.


From the Identity Series

From the Identity Series (detail)


A work from the Identity Series

Identity:
The thing I learned and sensed from this material world  as a reflection of human identity is that somehow we blindly consume amount of unnecessary utility or additional bit of satisfaction. These things are some kind of illusion that decreases humanity in human and shapes their view to become as small as just their self-interest. 
Being someone in this material world, you are defined by the way you consume and purchase. In this society, a person might have to lose the identity or something they’re used to do, in order to  be accepted for his or her existence. Since human are social animals, they always want to have and want to become equal because they are attached to the illusional standard that the society has set for them. 
Exist, know the value but meaningless. However, all these materials are not rooted within our mind, thus make us lose the heart and soul of humanity. There are lots of odds in our mind for instance love, greed, anger, passion, loneliness, sadness, positivity and negativity. We might be able to comprehend some parts of them, but not all of them. And once you lose your self identity, you will become the victim of this dominating power. Above all, the nonmaterial thing that we need to comprehend and be grateful for is ‘the world in our mind’. 
- From the artist's statement

From the Cheerfully Series

A detail of work from the Cheerfully Series

From the Country-Style Paradise Series

Detail from the piece above

From the Diary and Me Series

Diary and Me Series

A piece from the series People Like to Talk More Than Listening

People Like to Talk More Than Listening

People Like to Talk More Than Listening:

Among the distorted society and reflection of humans in capitalism world, the advanced science and technology have been developed for our convenience and easy to access lives. We may recognize and sense that sometimes we blindly over consume and become unaware of the facts that really matter. Being greedy to have and greedy to be misled us in the illusion world. We have made happiness out of materialization, definition, experience and artificial thoughts which are caused by material wealth, reputation, compliment, position, responsibility, movies, food, gambling, lottery, human, etc. these things are imagination. These factors cause people to see the world and lives of themselves and others in the society differently and sometimes their behavior and reactions are more into just their own benefit. Because if we cannot consciously control and wisely consider when we want to be equal, desire to have and to be something, we will be deceived by appearance and finally lose humanity in the world where “sight” matters more than heart. The things that most attach benefits from human are “illusion”. Sometimes they affect how we see the world and devalue humanity in human beings. For example, in some society, each individual might be lost and lose themselves when we worry too much about being called an odd. Following the crowd because we’re afraid is the main reason that causes human in the crowd utterly change their behaviors. Many people go wild, they come bad, vandal or even cruel, just because they’re scared of others, especially those who are more powerful or higher position. They are not willing to take it or be called an odd. This fear can radically influence the society and national level (Normative Influences) since human are social animals, after all, the result of the decision goes to what majority agree.


Another example is the matter of speaking or communication is very important. In the globalization era, we can record video, speech and post on YouTube or various forms of social media and share immediately, we can also talk to people on the other side of the world by clicking a few buttons. Moreover, everyone in any career has to communicate, whether to customers, boss, subordinate and coworker.  And in everyday life, we always have to talk to family, close friend. So "Art of Speech" is extremely important in order to bring happiness and success in life. Buddha had given examples for us which are easy to understand.  The principle is that our thoughts are the comparison of our shadow that follows us everywhere even in the dark. Good thoughts lead to good life, in contrast bad thoughts lead to bad life.
Therefore, starting point of this series was created from the doubt of process of human mind. Individuality and identity are all different. The behaviors are expressed communicate from consciousness and subconscious, result in having positive and negative mentalities which might be caused by different genetics and discipline from parents. As a result, we look at the world differently have different beliefs, thoughts, memories and mindsets. There are thousands of emotions in our mind for instance love, greed, anger, passion, loneliness, sadness, boring, grumpy fear and etc., some of them can’t even be described in words. These emotions are expressed as our behaviors differently, sometimes we don’t express exactly how we feel or how we want to. Messages are the reflection of people in the society, relationship between people and limits of the society with the expression of speech, thoughts and actions which represent the person. Even the way people listen represents them. If you “judge” when you listen, the only thing you hear is the sound from identity within you. One Buddhist principle mentioned that “repeated thoughts become words, repeated words become actions, repeated actions become innate characters”.  
So the point of not being under any kind of influence is “seeing through” or “being conscious”. When we’re conscious, we know who we are. Observing yourself is the basic thing that human should do, checking your consciousness, kindness, sympathy, wisdom, ability. Moreover if we learn more in the mind. We will be comprehend others more than ever. When we learn to work with our own minds, modulate and deeply find balance of life, it will change habits and behaviors. Then we can filter the real happiness by ourselves, for relationships and society, and make the world a better place.
-From the Artist's Statement


From the Series Forms in a State of Mine 


 Forms in a State of Mine:

To reveal the unpleasant feeling of fears that occurs and is unconsciously stored in human minds. People have different fears, depending on the stimulated experiences that impacted their frightened perception. An unpleasant perception, for example, lead to feeling of fears and stored in humans’ mind. Some people fear animal, certain objects or darkness.  Fear is occurred from humans’ imagination and perception. Human create their own fear, and such fear control those peoples’ mind unlimitedly and unreasonably. People might get ready to do anything they could to avoid facing with whatever they are afraid of.  

-From the Artist's Statement



***Photograph of the artist ©Ryan Teeramate. 
Images of artwork are courtesy of the artist.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Contemporary Still-Life Workshop: The Everyday Object




Jeffrey Morabito will be teaching a Still-Life Workshop: The Everyday Object

Wednesday Aug 16, 2019 

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Cost: $85 per session


Limited to six participants


Simply Fine Workshop



526 West 26th Street
Studio 710
New York, NY 10001


For more information and to sign up inquire at: contact@simplyfineworkshop.com to sign up.



About the workshop:

Paint a still-life with traditional techniques but through a contemporary lens. Pictorial structure, composition, and color will be focused upon while close-looking and improvising will be equally emphasized. Visual tools explored will be: Illusionism, Perspective, Horizon Line, Conceptual 3-D Space, Shape & Color Hierarchy, and Site-measuring. Students are encouraged to bring in their own “everyday object” or paint an object provided.
Open to painters of all levels, and to acrylic/oil painters who want to broaden their skills and concepts.
No experience necessary — Beginners welcome!
Full instruction and ALL MATERIALS provided. Friendly, creative atmosphere. Some drinks and snacks included.

About Jeffrey Morabito:
Born in Bronxville, half Hong Kong-ese and half Italian, Jeffrey Morabito spent his early years traveling between New York and Hong Kong. He returned to Asia in 2006, to apprentice with a calligraphy master in Seoul, South. Korea. He then spent six years in Beijing, beginning with a Red Gate Gallery Residency, in 2009, teaching at Capital Normal University. Morabito returned to New York in 2016 to pursue an MFA at the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture, while also founding JMN Artists, a curatorial collective, which has already produced three shows in New York.
Morabito has exhibited in “Art Beijing;” International Art Fair and Matthius Kupper Gallery, Beijing, China; N-Space and Jay Gallery Seoul, South Korea; Rosenfeld Gallery, New York; SFA Projects, New York

Saturday, August 10, 2019

White on White: Anna Caione & Fiona Halse at West End Art Space


Fiona Halse, Afon, 2019, mixed media on canvas, 100x100 cm


White on White: Anna Caione & Fiona Halse

August 28 - September 1, 2019

West End Art Space
137 Adderley Street
West Melbourne VIC 3003
Australia


From the Press Release:

The exhibition ‘White on White’ explores the philosophical, poetic associations of the colour white through the work of Melbourne artists Anna Caione and Fiona Halse. Caione and Halse express the synergies and divergences in their approach to abstraction through the process of surface manipulation and gestural expression. Their shared preference for the colour white amalgamates their works yet each artist loads the neutrality of the hue with a diversity of personal meaning that gives rise to a range of intriguing interpretative possibilities.

White is considered by some to be a non-colour, yet its transformational qualities continue to fascinate contemporary artists. White can be purely suggestive or a dominant force informing the intrinsic visual language within an artist’s work. The initiation of the single-coloured artwork termed the ‘Monochrome’ is a fairly recent occurrence of twentieth-century art, with practitioners such as Piero Manzoni, Robert Ryman, Mary Martin and Kazmir Malevich falling into the category of monochromatic painters. Curator Tanya Barson of the Tate’s Painting with White exhibition has noted that the decision for artists to restrict themselves to one colour can open up a rich and versatile area of investigation, with the use of white drawing attention to a variety of techniques, materials, textures, surfaces, structures and forms.

The exhibition is a tribute to Kazimir Malevich and his Suprematist composition: White on White (1918). Whilst the Black Square (1915) is commonly believed to be the ‘first Suprematist painting’ (Lodder, C. 2018, p. 13)  and communicates Malevich’s aesthetic  theory  as the ‘the supremacy of pure feeling or perception in the pictorial arts’ ( MOMA, n.d.). Malevich’s contribution was significant to the development of non-objective and abstract art, which he believed could pave the way to spiritual freedom, a utopian world of pure form and a  ‘universal language that would free viewers from the material world.’ (Malevich, K, 1926).



 

Monday, July 29, 2019