Home»Archive for March, 2010

Jonathan Allmaier

Mar 28th, 2010 Leave a comment

O Teeth (66 x 34 1/8”, handmade oil on canvas 2009)

Selima Square (7 ¾ x 9 7/8”, handmade oil on canvas 2009)

Hege (32 x 27 ½”, handmade oil on canvas 2009)

The Melancholy Fishwives (65 ¼ x 37 7/8”, handmade oil on canvas 2008)

BINGO (9 5/8 x 12 ¾”, handmade oil on canvas 2009)

Artist Statement

Objects can be mental states, and mental states can be physical.

Paintings are physical objects. When I make a painting I try to follow this physicality as far as I can, starting with making my own paint from pigment and thinking very specifically about the stretcher and canvas.  By really following the physical nature of a painting, the mind/body distinction can undermine itself, generating a concept that is a physical object, a painting we can use.

It doesn’t matter exactly what the painting looks like – it matters, but it matters to the painting, not to me.

Websites

allmaier.wordpress.com
http://registry.whitecolumns.org/view_artist.php?artist=9682

LJ Lindhurst

Mar 21st, 2010 1 Comment

Uncomplicated, 2007, Acrylic on canvas, 34" x 30"

Foil Bunny #2 (Green Foil Bunny), 2009, Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 69"

Marbles #6, 2009, Acrylic on canvas, 50" x 48"

Lock #5, 2006, Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"

Parrot, 2004, Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"

Artist Statement
LJ Lindhurst was born in Antonia, Missouri. Her work is medium- to large-scale realistic paintings of imagery from our daily lives and mass culture that communicate a sense of isolation, alienation, comedy, threat, and modern decay.

A large portion of Lindhurst’s work is based on the philosophy that Photorealism painting should be approached without style or embellishment, and adhere with devotion to reproducing the photographed image as accurately as possible in paint. Form, composition, and style occur naturally, and are illuminated as a result of this neutral approach.

Thematically, the subjects of her paintings are varied, but tend to focus on the often overlooked detritus of our popular culture. By closely examining otherwise ordinary images from our daily life–such as toys, small candies, advertising, packaging, and television– an underlying sense of uneasy comedy is revealed.

Website
http://www.ljlindhurst.com

Orit Ben-Shitrit

Mar 14th, 2010 Leave a comment

we, the people, are the languid conjoined lovers, 2009 photograph, archival pigment print on Luster

mother's eye, future and past grief, repeat. 2009 photograph, archival pigment print on Luster 24"x40"

plunging fingers in the film of night, 2009 photograph, archival pigment print on Luster 27"x40"

perennial gatekeeper of marble and concrete, 2008 pigment print on Somerset 23"x35"

Intoxicating sovereignty (jerusalem Fall afternoon) 2008 photograph, archival pigment print on Luster 40"x60"

Artist Statement
One of the oldest cities in the world, Jerusalem has always been infused with fracture and duplicity, which carry on to this day in the city’s fabric and leaders. As reverent home to three of the world’s major religions, Jerusalem embodies Foucault’s idea of a heterotopia — an impossible space where parallel contradictory layers exist.

Using reflective surfaces in my constructs, it is often unclear whether an image is the thing itself or its reflection. I avoid the traditional horizon, and the compositions can become purposefully disorienting. A photographic image can be thought of as a belief system in itself, and as such, I hope to create a structure infused with doubt.

Website
orit-ben-shitrit.com

Alexandra Pacula

Mar 6th, 2010 Leave a comment

Cautious Progress, oil on canvas, 40”x64” 2010

Tumultuous Paradise, oil on canvas, 60”x72”, 2010

Bursting Motion, oil on canvas, 48”x70” 2010

Ardent Phenomenon, 90”x108”, oil on canvas, 2008

Budget, oil on wood 12”x18”, 2010

Artist Statement
My work investigates a world of visual intoxication, it captures moments of enchantment which are associated with urban nightlife. I am fascinated by the ambiance of the city at night and its seductive qualities. The breathtaking turbulence of speeding vehicles and hasty pedestrians evoke feelings of wonder and disorientation. The vibrant lights become a magical landscape with enticing opportunities and promises of fulfillment.

In our seemingly content society there is a struggle to achieve greater levels of enjoyment. We explore various environments and activities in search of pleasure. Extravagant lights of night environments seduce us to participate in curious events, enticing us to experience new forms of satisfaction.

In my oil paintings I aim to capture various atmospheres that occur in such environments. Through observation and documentation I assemble images which become visual tools for my paintings. I concentrate on how the mind perceives and evaluates surroundings while under the influence of a social climate.

I recreate the feeling of dizziness and confusion by letting the paint blur and allowing shapes to dissolve. I suggest motion in order to slow down the scene and capture the fleeting moments which tend to be forgotten. By interpreting lights in graphic or painterly ways, I create a sense of space, alluding to a hallucinogenic experience. I intensify the sense of motion with the use of quick vigorous lines and sharp perspectives. I want the viewer’s eye to travel within my composition and experience a familiar exhilarating event of an actual nightly excursion.

Website
http://www.alexandrapacula.com/

Exhibit
Currently showing at Mighty Tanaka gallery until March 12.