New Haven group of artists unveil work at Ford Foundation Building

The Ford Foundation Building in Midtown East is currently presenting the group exhibition titled THIS IS NOT A RETREAT! In its gallery space. The show offers more than 30 works by 25 artists who belong to a fellowship program based in New Haven, CT known as NXTHVN an abbreviation for “Next Haven” and was founded seven years ago by artist Titus Kaphar and businessman Jason Price and has helped aspiring artists advance their craft. The works on display include a large-scale mixed media installation titled Distorted Myths (Popo y Izta) by Esteban Ramon Perez.The body of the installation is a large, leather tarp featuring swirly lines converging toward the center and hangs from a wooden stick adorned with peacock feathers. The piece is inspired by a fictional story of a princess and a warrior that takes place in the volcanic atmosphere of Mexico. Anindida Dutta offers a similar installation known as Sex, Sexuality, and Society--Botswana. Dutta’s piece is comprised of several black boots with animal horn emerging from the heel against a backdrop of brown animal hide cut in the shape of a large, formidable creature opening its wings. The title of her piece refers to the fact that the country of Botswana has high rates of gender-based violence and the dark color-scheme relates to the negative emotions and realities affecting many women today. Also of note is the religious installation by Capt. James Stovall V titled Shirley where the centerpiece is a painting of Stovall’s take on the baby Jesus holding a flower with the word “Shirley” tattooed on the arm. The painting sits on a black wooden ledge with figures representing the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and a cut-open apple on one side. On the other side of the painting is a similar figure of Jesus Christ, plus two birds on a ledge, and a football player with no limbs. Perhaps one of the most poignant works on display is a large-scale cloth painting by Vaughn Spann titled By Your Side, Big Black Rainbow. The rainbow depicted in Spann’s painting features a thick black layer as an additional “color” to the rainbow against a mostly navy blue and violet background evoking the notion of hope and joy amid turbulent times. At the Ford Foundation Gallery, 320 East 43rd St., through Aug. 2. The gallery space is open Mon.-Sat. from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. IMAGE: By Your Side (Big Black Rainbow) by Vaughn Spann (2020, polymer paint, flashe, terry cloth, canvas stretcher on bars)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A World of Calm and Chaos by Owen Gray

Image
By ALISON MARTIN A collection haunting and dreamy images by Owen Gray is currently on view for the exhibition A World of Calm and Chaos . In this show, Gray examines how numerous crises going on in our world tap into human subconsciousness and appear in our dreams in various forms. The most prevalent global crises that is examined in this collection of work is that of climate change and how it's disrupting life on Earth with animals being removed from their natural habitats. Hieronymus Bosch, a 15th-16th century Dutch painter known for his expressive, fantastical masterpieces is one of Gray's biggest influencers and Bosch's vision is very much evident in Gray's paintings.  Exotic Gathering by Owen Gray (2022, oil on paper) One work titled  Exotic Gathering features flying insects, beetles, a purple butterfly and several mandolins that have come together in one dreamlike sequence. Another painting with a similar concept of creatures coming together is  Reptile Meeting ...
Read more

Dena Schutzer conveys chaos and calmness in latest show

Image
The Bowery Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a collection of work by Dena Schutzer for the show Agitation and Retreat . For this show, Schutzer, who’s based in the New York City area, unveils several oil paintings completed over the last two years that include cityscapes, rural scenes, still-lifes, and portraits of people and animals as they go about their daily lives in varying environments. Regarding the title, Schutzer explains that “Agitation” refers to the hustle-and-bustle feeling of scenarios she observes while “Retreat” refers to quieter and more personal moments she experiences. Some of the works depicting “Agitation” include Four Men Working that shows a group of construction workers diligently and fervently opening up a city street with clouds of steam rising. Other works in “Agitation” include the energy felt in Sparring showing a boy and his father in a boxing match in a park; Cables and Green Sky depicts a chaotic arrangement of power lines and thick, cur...
Read more

Expressive Portraits by Stuart Snoddy at Lower East Side Gallery

Image
.                                  The Landscape Painter (2023, oil on canvas) by Stuart Snoddy By ALISON MARTIN The Massey Klein Gallery on the Lower East Side is currently presenting,  The   Dither featuring several new paintings by Stuart Snoddy. For his second solo show at the gallery, the Indianapolis based artist unveils intriguing portraits of mysterious and somewhat unusual looking people.  Some of the characters he portrays are goofy and satirical and exude animated vibes. Examples include The Method Actor  and  The Gonzo Painter.  The Method Actor depicts a man, short and stout in stature, with a balding head and droopy eyes and lips. Similarly,  The Gonzo Painter  portrays a young man with his face made up like a clown's but exhibiting a tired, unhappy expression as is indicated by his droopy facial features. The muted browns and grays add to the solem...
Read more