LES Galleries Reaction

            Visiting the Lower East Galleries was a complete different experience then visiting the art galleries in Chelsea. The three galleries I visited in the LES were “UNTITLED, Orchard Windows Gallery, and the Lesley Heller Workspace.

My first impression in the “UNTITLED” gallery was that it was under construction because the interior looked unfinished. I was surprised to discover that the appearance was intended and was part of the exhibition. The floors were unpolished, objects were lounging in the middle of the space, and the artwork looked unfinished. The atmosphere was different than some of the galleries in Chelsea because, in the Chelsea area there’s a clean, pristine feel to the spaces. There’s even a distinction in the neighborhoods where Chelsea has a more serious tone to their art galleries and the LES has a more lax appearance.

            The second gallery, Orchard Windows Gallery, also has a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. I have personally walked down that specific block for years and was oblivious to the fact that there housed an art gallery. My initial reaction to the space was that there wasn’t much walking space to view the paintings. The gallery also had an unpolished appearance to it. The exhibition, however, housed paintings by an unknown artist. That particular artist did fit the tone of the gallery- new, different, and not so stuffy.

            The third gallery, the Lesley Heller Workspace, featured a different variety of artwork. There were two exhibitions, the first held paintings that were geometrically complex. The artist used fun, vibrant colors and created different variations of geometric shapes. The second exhibition had different pieces that were “unique.” There were these polymer ring-like objects that stood upright on display. The artist used a special type of printer to create these shapes, and it was unique in the sense that I didn’t find anything like that in Chelsea. Another piece, which stood out to me, was a sheet of metal that had bullet holes that hung on the wall. That was also something I didn’t find in Chelsea.

            Mainly what made the difference between the Chelsea and LES galleries were the collections and the atmosphere. If I were an art collector browsing through the Chelsea galleries, I would expect to find clean cut, well known and expensive artwork. If I were browsing through the LES, I would expect to find raw, unique, a little less known and less expensive artwork. Personally, I’d rather buy something that’s one of a kind. 

LIB 110 Assignment: Piet Mondrian

          Piet Mondrian was known for creating a new genre of abstract art. According to the video “Mondrian,” he revolutionized “Abstract Real Painting.” He didn’t want to paint what was fashionable in that era as another typical Cubist painting; rather he created a new style that he called “neoplasticism.” Mondrian painted “rhythmic compositions with geometric figures.” His particular use of symmetry and color is most recognizable. I decided to emulate his painting, “Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow.” Mondrian was partial to painting with red, blue, and yellow. Several of his paintings are featured using these primary colors. He also liked to paint black lines, which have a symmetrical effect. Painting these black lines was purposely done to allow geometric shapes, squares and rectangles, to stand out against the white contrasting blocks. I drew black lines similar to Mondrian’s painting to re-create his symmetrical style. I also colored in the primary colors. My re-interpretation of Mondrian’s work compliments his painting with the use of symmetry and color.

Illustrate a Story

What drew me in to Gweneviere's story is the fact that she lives without a short-term memory. I wanted to hear how it affected her firsthand. Gweneviere has trouble remembering things like what day it is and when was the last time she had a meal so I added pictures of a calendar and food. She had brain surgery to remove a tumor in 2008 so I added a picture of a woman on an operating table. Gweneviere has this fear that one day she will turn eighty years old and she won't remember the last forty years of her life. This is why I added a picture of an older woman and the same calendar that has multiple pages. After her surgery, Gweneviere began to experience something called confabulations. A confabulation is when the brain fills in gaps in one's memory with fabrications that one believes to be facts. She used to think she was in San Francisco and that one of her co-workers was her mother, so I added pictures of the Golden Gate bridge and a woman who isn't her mother. Gweneviere was also confused regarding her relationship status with her boyfriend Yasir. She used to think that they were broken up, when in fact they were very much still together and even live together- so I added a picture of a couple whose experiencing some difficulties. Gweneviere says that one positive thing that came out of losing her short-term memory was running the NYC Marathon with Yasir. Yasir would tell her to not look at the mile markers so she wouldn't know how long she's been running and would convince her that it's only been ten minutes until they were able to reach the finish line. I added pictures of the NYC marathon, a mile marker, a watch, and an actual picture of the couple holding their medals.

Chelsea Galleries Reaction

          Investing in a piece of art could be beneficial in terms of making a profit years later. While perusing the Betty Cuningham Gallery in Chelsea, Rackstraw Downes’ exhibition immediately caught my attention. Downes paint hyperreal paintings, meaning his paintings resemble a photograph. The first painting “Duarte Square,” is a long rectangular piece measuring about 1.7 feet in height and 5.3 feet in width. Shadows were painted to give the piece a more realistic appearance. The details are so minute, especially in the background where people, cars, and benches are basically tiny compared to the overall scale of the painting. The windows are even smaller creating an illusion that light is glinting off the glass, also adding to the effect of hyperrealism.

            The second painting by Downes, “Outside Dance Floor, Presidio TX, from the Bandstand Looking South (Study)” is also a hyperrealistic painting. It measures about 1.1 feet in height and 3.3 feet in width. Downes creates an illusion by painting shadows projected from the trees to authenticate that realistic aesthetic. Investing in this artist’s paintings would later be beneficial because, hypothetically, selling these pieces would make a profit. Homeowners often buy landscapes to display in their houses. It invites a cultivated tone to homes that art appreciators usually seek.

            Investing in a piece of art could on the other hand be an encumbrance. In the Lyons Wier Gallery, I found Andy Mister’s exhibition to be superfluous, which isn’t ideal in terms of investments. The first drawing “Bremen #2,” has a hyperrealistic effect, yet I don’t find it aesthetically pleasing. Essentially, it’s a group of men who appear to be drunk at some gathering, most likely at a party.

            The second drawing by Mister, “Anti-Social Personality Disorder Live!” is obsolete. The piece consists of a man who appears to be wearing an undergarment singing with a significant amount of angst into a microphone. There’s a limited scope of buyers who would be interested in investing these pieces, therefore limiting the potential profits of selling the pieces. I would rather hang landscapes in my house than hang drawings of men engaging in superfluous activities.

Citations:

Rackstraw Downes

“Duarte Square”

oil on canvas
2009

Rackstraw Downes

“Outside Dance Floor, Presidio TX, from the Bandstand Looking South (Study)”

oil on canvas
2008

Andy Mister

“Bremen #2”

graphite on paper
2012

Andy Mister

“Anti-Social Personality Disorder Live!”

graphite on paper
2010