Nous connaissons tous le portrait de La Joconde, de la reine d’Angleterre, des tournesols de Van Gogh ou encore « Le baiser » de Gustav Klimt. Nous les redécouvrons sous une autre forme artistique grâce à l’artiste Jane Perkins, qui reproduit ces œuvres d’art classiques et ces portraits en utilisant des milliers d’objets.
Coup de cœur pour le peintre américain Damian Loeb vivant à New-York, qui conçoit des tableaux hyper réalistes d’une qualité incroyable. Ces créations réalisées à la peinture à l’huile sont dotés d’un style photographique très étonnant. L’ensemble de sa série est à découvrir sur son portfolio et dans la suite.
Macabre drawings modeled after discarded photographs from Scott Hunt
Artist Scott Hunt turns flea market photographs into modern-day allegories. In his new series of charcoal drawings currently on view at Schroeder, Romero and Shredder Gallery in New York, Hunt presents images that are enigmatic, humorous and occasionally discomforting. The black-and-white figures of “Then Darkness Fell” draw inspiration from turn of the century realism as well as film noir.
Hunt’s preoccupation with discarded photographs is driven by his desire to “save” anonymous people and objects from obscurity. By identifying elements of each photograph that he finds intriguing, Hunt removes them from their original context and uses them to create a new drawing. This creative process gives a second life to other people’s forgotten memories. “My subconscious narratives often reflect a dark, mysterious, and intrinsically Gothic view of America; suburbs leach danger, authority figures evince moral turpitude, nature threatens, and the surface of all things belies the more messy, complicated realities of being human,” explains Hunt.
Hunt’s aesthetic borrows heavily from the 1940s-60s, and is often fueled with an underlying dark awkwardness. Themes of alcoholism, racism, violence and exhibitionism can be found throughout the collection of highly composed drawings. Despite their macabre nature, the works are saved from being unrelentingly gloomy by a consistently wry sense of humor. “Then Darkness Fell” will be on display through 17 March 2012.
Schroeder, Romero and Shredder Gallery
531 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
An artist-curated group show redefines contemporary Realism
The first in a series of artist-curated exhibitions at NYC’s Joshua Liner Gallery, “Resolve” gathers together the peers and influencing figures of the highly skilled painter Tony Curanaj. Each of the 25 contemporary artists included in the group show is classically trained and collectively they demonstrate the diversity of Realism.
“Resolve” explores the human experience artists have with a subject, and the truth in their observations. “Great art expresses life,” says Curanaj, who is more interested in works that convey a person’s sensitivities than those that are focused on the medium, or, as he puts it, “art about art.”
Considered experts of their craft, the artists, which include one photographer, two sculptors and 22 painters, have become completely involved in creating work that reflects their distinct technical prowess. Curanaj aims to show the sincerity and beauty of work made by the hand of a skilled artist. “When you’re painting from life, it’s like a high-wire net with nothing underneath you,” he says. “You could fuck it up at any point.”
The show also makes a different argument about the idea of conceptualism, a term Curanaj believes has been misused for years—especially as it relates to Realism versus abstract art. “There’s a misconception that Realism isn’t conceptual,” he says. “I think Realism is of the highest, utmost conceptual ideas because you’re continuously conceptualizing what’s in front of you and putting it down as notes and feelings, trying to depict what is life, what is reality.” He also feels that the more deeply profound an idea, the more specific the depiction should be. The artist should have a very clear solution for the concept in order to fully get the idea across and relate to the viewer.
The show’s title refers to each artist’s unwavering creative direction and continuous refinement of their craft. Each notable in their own right, alongside Curanaj, the group includes Graydon Parrish, Jeremy Mann, Jefferson Hayman, Kim Cogan, Lee Misenheimer, Shawn Barber, Kris Kuksi and Jacob A. Pfeiffer.
On view for just one month, “Resolve” opens at NYC’s Joshua Liner Gallery on 26 January and runs through 25 February 2012.
I stumbled across the work of Josh Keyes while grazing through ffffound to pass the time. His paintings are like weird and wonderful visions that Robert Bateman might have on acid.
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