DEAR YOU at Field Projects
Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 7:18PM Curated by Olivia Smith
April 9 - May 16, 2015
Reception: Thursday, April 16, 6-8pm
Jonathan Chapline, April Childers, Nicole Dyer, Yuhi Hasegawa, Matthew Hilvers, Zebadiah Keneally, Karen Lederer, Donald Mengay, Eliadiie Musaieva, Jack Bruml Norton, Esteban Ocampo Giraldo, Ellen Siebers, B. Thom Stevenson, Tony Toscani, and Tyler Weeks.
Dear You presents the work of fifteen artists whose paintings and sculptures approach the figure through graphic formalism and irreverent or disembodied portraiture. Achieving composition through bold color and pattern, repetitive shape and perspective these works represent a clear moment in time, framing the subject within the picture plane as if captured at close range. Depicted are scenes from everyday life, interiors, surreal landscapes, and half-constructed memories as well as the human face, eye, and hand. Sunglasses, Cheetos, cigarettes and pistols also make appearances through indulgent use of materiality.
Many of the images are constructed from the vantage point of the painter with acknowledgment of their own hand through physical representation. This reflexivity references not only the simple act of looking at art but also the practice of looking to the past for answers to unsolved problems. Shining with the obvious glint of Art History, the images construct our relationship to them and set up the inclusion of the viewer by providing an opportunity to experience the perspective of someone just outside the bounds of the image.
The works in this exhibition make it possible to consider looking without seeing, or touching without feeling, and vice versa. They exemplify the artist and critic Nora Griffin’s statement that painting is “a form of longing” enacted through time spent during the process of making art—a longing that is reciprocated by the viewer through sustained engagement.
An accompanying online exhibition includes works by Canyon Castator, Piotr Chizinski, Steve Shymob Danielson, Lyla Duey, Zoe Hawk, Maiko Kikuchi, Tyler Lafreniere, Steven Mykietyn, Amanda Nedham, David Shaughnessy, Edra Soto, and Leah Tacha.
Dear You was curated by Olivia Smith based on themes that emerged in the process of reviewing more than 3,500 artwork submissions. Smith is Director of Exhibition A: an online platform for contemporary art which creates and distributes new, signed limited edition prints in collaboration with artists on a weekly basis.
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