Imaginary Cows and Lemon Groves

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on June 12, 2013 at 5:38pm

Curator’s Comments:

 

The vigorous energy and complex movement in Imaginary Cows and Lemon Groves is heightened by the contrast between the dominant primary red and open white space.  Small punches of blue and yellow accentuate a detectable primary triad, and a fresh overall feeling to the work. I particularly enjoy how some like shapes are repeated, or inversely echoed throughout the picture plane.  There is an interplay that is self referential, but uncluttered and direct. I also see an architectonic structure to the open passages, though only vaguely referencing recognizable, utilitarian objects like ladders or vessels. No doubt the large scale supports an interesting dichotomy between order and chaos, as the viewer is enveloped by the intricate channels and episodic designs. It’s as if the painting encompasses, as the title suggests, cows and lemon groves and everything in between. Standing on Mirrors is also a stimulating image in this series. Sharing the densely packed space as the other paintings, this piece has more identifiable though highly abstracted forms.  The more neutralized palette and inclusion of instrument like objects gives a nod to early Cubistic explorations, but they take on a decidedly contemporary tenor in their amalgamation of line and gesture. The central section seems especially fluid, with curling arcs of line and open ellipses supported by multiple thin legs.