HER, HIM & THEM
HER
Joan Snyder "Amor Matris" 2015 63x84.5" at Franklin Parrasch Gallery thru June 20
I had three providential art experiences recently, for my first sortie from my new home in upstate New York to NYC, the paintings and reception of Joan Snyder, the last day of Bill Jensen’s paintings exhibit, and a three part program of the LINES Ballet.
Joan Snyder detail "Amor Matris" 2015 63x84.5 at Franklin Parrasch Gallery thru June 20
Snyder’s work may be viewed as feminist in the best sense of the word as expressions of fecundity, blossoming, flow and infinite array . These works have a dance quality as do Pollock’s, with very different rhythm structures. There are waltz structures and semi narrative aspects which are painted in balanced groupings throughout the compositions.
Ceremonial rose icons, passages evocative of bird’s nests, glossy pools, auricular pilings of paint roughed up with organic matter, glitter, word letters more painterly than literal, the warm rose pink wine palette pushes a generative feminist view.
Joan Snyder Reqium Redux 2014 60x72" at Franklin Parrasch Gallery thru June 20
Sub Rosa, the title of the exhibit, is in opposition to the feeling of the show in some ways. A google search of the term shows that this is a term signifying secrecy and silence. Yet in the multitude of exuberant expression shown here, these works are anything but silent.
These are generous works that reward lots of close inspection.
This exhibit is on view at Franklin Parrasch Gallery 53 East 64th Street New York until June 20.
for more writing on the Joan Snyder exhibit, Hovey Brock for Brooklyn Rail
and Roberta Smith for the New York Times
HIM
Bill Jensen END OF ORDINARY REALM 2013-14oil/linen 61x41" at Cheim Read April 9 May 9
I caught a glimpse of the large exhibit of Bill Jensen’s paintings at Cheim & Read on the last day of the formal exhibit. These paintings continue traditions long associated with the masculine in western art such as romanticism and the distortions of figurative surrealism. That said, there are also works, my favorites, from the “Dark Dragon Blood” series influenced by oriental thought.
I caught a glimpse of the large exhibit of Bill Jensen’s paintings at Cheim & Read on the last day of the formal exhibit. I saw these works late in the day, during which time a friend of the artist’s dropped by and encouraged me to return during midday, when the skylights in the gallery heightened the glow of the works into completely different visions. Perhaps this was why I had the feeling these particular works were evocative of silence, though I think this is also intentional.
Combined in contrast with the subtle wet richness of this deepest dark combinations of complementary hues were textured pale grey brush work on matt white segments, dry, rough, as desert rather than a pool, or even perhaps even aged skin. The combination of opposites here feels inevitable, absolute and yet new.
Bill Jensen detail of STILLNESS 2012-14 54x75" at Cheim Read April 9 May 9
There are three distinct bodies of work in these galleries which are pulled together with triptych and diptych formats. The first, “Transgressions” are corpuscular figurative fragmentations, line drawings appearing first as lyrical abstract line drawings before coming into focus as figurative abstractions said to be based on Micheangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel. There are the multicolored and layered abstractions we know this artist for. The final and most moving paintings (for me), the DARK DRAGON POOL series, feature the use of the doxilene purple used in recent years, now shown darkened and made rich by combination with its complementary, orange, probably with a deep amber making a smooth glossy, silent deepness.
THEM
LINES Ballet combines masculine and feminine into new forms. Choreographer Alonzo King mixes gender types and conventional roles with dancers that are “athletes of god”. Men fly extend and whirl, sometimes wearing skirts.
The lighting and costumes, as always with this company, are subtle and supportive of the dancers, never overwhelming them or the choreography. King, internationally acclaimed and awarded, has collaborated with Shaolin Monks, tribal Africans and an international roster of many musicians and artists of world renown. As always, it is his collaborations with his dancers that are primary.
The program opened with an ensemble of CONCERTO FOR TWO VIOLINS,
The second work on the program MEN’S QUINTET, taken from “Radius of Convergence” could do for men what Balanchine (one of choreographer King’s primary influences) did for women in ballet. Certainly when I was studying dance few were the men dancing this way! They are all exquisite masters as are the women.
the final work on the program, WRITING GROUND
“She was cut off from her own past. She was not able to situate herself in history. The entire art of her past became a political issue. To abandon this life. To wash the sheets”
Ballet/poetry collaboration from “Writing Ground” poetry by Colum McAnn for LINES BALLET
and
Wednesday July 15 through Saturday July 18, 8pm
Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19, 2pm
