Holes & Circles

I've been following Kelly Walker for some time now and found his Exhibition at Galerie Catherine Bastide to be especially thoughtful and intelligent. The concept is simple enough and has been explored before, but these pieces are relaxing and enjoyable. As with pointillism, we're dealing with parts and pieces of the picture  plane; but in a whole new way.

This image is from Contemporary Art Daily.

Pieces Of Painting (Pointillism)

When you first encounter the work of Douglas Melini, the terms reductive, minimal, and op-art immediately come to mind. And you'd be right on all accounts. But what gets my attention most are the paintings that contain these tiny particles of paint that make up the bulk of the composition. They bring to mind Kusama's Infinity Nets (but more organized and working with a grid). Not all of his paintings contain these wonderful dots of faint color; he's mostly about pattern. For me, these are precious example of how intricate and intimate an artist can get with his subject matter. On top of that, his frames are hand painted with patterns that both beautifully end and extend the picture plane.

Visit his Website to view his full oeuvre.

Image is from Minus Space.

Stunning Abstract Paintings

I remember quite vividly that I had gone to Barnes & Nobles to look at the Art Magazines and had grabbed a handful of interiors Magazines in the hopes of seeing some great art; and there it was, a photo of a lovely interior with a couch and behind that hung a huge Cleve Gray painting that just astounded me. Balance in a painting is very important to me and here this artist just ignored any sense of symmetry and the results were glorious. I've told the story before about trying, as a youngster, to understand what made a painting, any painting, a good work of art. And the best I could figure is that somehow, at some point, a painting comes to find it's own internal balance. I realize how little sense that makes, but for me it totally explains the difference between bad and great art. Be that as it may, it was just amazing to see how Cleve composed his paintings. If his works fascinate you too, then you also will be rewarded by any research you do into his life and oeuvre.

Be sure to visit his Website.

Contemporary Persian Calligraphy

Most of Feredoun Omidi's work is very formal; his repetitious style giving them an almost geometric balance. So I was a bit surprised in finding some pieces where he gets a little jiggy. They are a relief from, and a compliment to, each other.

This image is from the Payvand Website, where you can see and enjoy both styles.

XVA Gallery has a nice slideshow of his work.  

Mirrored Words

Robert Barry abandoned painting in the late 60's and dedicated himself to expressing himself in other ways; most often with words. A fascinating concept, really; this whole thing with "a picture is worth a thousand words" versus reading actual words which work quite well in conjuring images. Either way, I quite like his diptychs where he frosts the glass - leaving the words clear and on the other half the words are frosted. So, for all their prettiness and simple charm, Barry's works are loaded with intellectualism and thought provoking ideas.

His page at Gallerie Greeta Meert has a concise blurb that lets you know where he's coming from and good links (with pics) to his many exhibitions there, along with selected works from each show. The Brooklyn Rail has a nice piece that sheds more light. You also might want to see his "Silver" Exhibition.

In his Show titled "Words And Music", with giant silver words splayed across walls and ceilings; the whole concept of graffiti comes to mind and yet you can't bring yourself to call it that because it's so formal and restrained. Avery strange effect, indeed.

Graphics and Calligraphy

As you can see, the adults are enjoying this painting by Nils Erik Gjerdevik; as for the youngster, it's getting close to either lunch time or play time. I wouldn't mind visiting this exhibit myself. Neil's oeuvre seems to wander around in a fantasy area somewhere between graphics and calligraphy; and mostly with a light touch. His sometimes, spare use of the surface fascinates me as well as how he places and spaces his compositions. He's taken calligraphy and abstracted it down to the essence of the gesture so that the lines now describe shapes instead of words.You'll see what I mean when you visit his Website which is very organized and has plenty of images.


Image is from Kopenhagen Magasin.

Verification

The work on the left is by Farzad Kohan and I'm not sure if the positive elements are collage or what's left of an underpainting after he applied the green ground. Either way, it reminded me of my painting on the right, titled "Moron". There is an underpainting that I "washed out" wih an off-white glaze. The next step was tracing out the letters of the phrase and then painting the bluish ground for contrast. It's always a pleasure to exhibit this painting and watch people try to figure out the phrase. A few get it instantly, but most take several minutes and a few never do get it. (the answer is at the bottom)  I'm convinced it has more to do with your current mental state than any amount of smarts you have.

The image of Farzad's work is from his Blog which you'll want to visit because this particular piece is a one-off and not representative of his oeuvre. His Website showcases his abstract paintings.
  

EVRYBOdy is Just Exacty Where They're Sposed to BE

2-Dimensional Sculpture

click to enlarge

It just takes a second or two of looking at Michael Zelehoski's unique wall pieces to be msytified and mesmerized. Something about the textures and angles makes them feel unresolved. Having worked in a woodworking shop, I immediatley fell in love with his process and was amazed by the simplicity of the idea which induces very complex mental reactions. It's very fitting to call these sculptures, once you understand how they're made; and even then it's hard to believe they're 2-dimensional.

The above image, was the first encounter I had with his work and it's a sly and gentle teaser. You're not real sure what you're looking at, but there does seem to be some realness and craft involved.
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Visit his Website and be blown away!
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 His work plays with perspective, his compositions are simple and subtle and the more you see, the more amazed and appreciative you become. Be sure to watch the video (on his Website) to get a sense of the realitiy of the making of these incredible mind-teasers.

This is the back-side of a piece titled "Picnic Table" and gives you a bit of a clue as to what's going on.

An interview at Glasschord helps you understand his train of thought and a visual and verbal visit to his studio at ArtSake rounds out the picture.

Picnic Table image is from onartetc.

Ah Oeuvre

If you're a fan of Dan Miller, you're in for a real treat. I was visiting Lorraine Glessner's Blog, this morning and her Post had 3 examples of Dan's drawings and a link to what I would describe as a momograph of his work. For anyone interested in Dan Miller, you know how frustrating it is to find examples of his work. Well, this should hold you for a while. Enjoy.

Image is from stoppingoffplace.