Explicit Content Reviews

The Mindy Solomon Gallery recently welcomed many visiting fine artists, fans of culture, as well as area critics and art aficionados to the opening of Explicit Content on Saturday, April 14. Explicit Content will be on view through May 19 and is available for those 18 and over due to its sexual content.

Art Taco writes, “It’s that time: The windows are once again covered at Mindy Solomon gallery. This time with paper, though the door is covered with bubble wrap, nostalgically hailing back to another sex-centered show. . .” You can read the entire review here.

The Curator of Sex, a blog that explores sex and gender in media, art science and culture, also offered insight to Explicit Content. Please stop by the gallery and see this wonderful exhibition of raw, uninhibited sexplortation. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Korean, Narrative, Abstract Contemporary

Since its inception, the Mindy Solomon Gallery has presented the work of contemporary Korean artists working in a variety of media including photography, painting and ceramics. Long overshadowed by the arts of China and Japan, a growing interest has been building momentum for contemporary Korean art and craft, witnessed by recent gallery presentations, museum exhibitions and a presence in international art fairs. From ancient times to today, Korea is noted for its rich artistic traditions, often marked by the use of bold color, natural forms and surface decoration, informed by centuries-old art forms.

Historically, Korean art is characterized by transitions germinating from the main religions practiced at the time, shifts between Confucianism and Buddhism.  Considered one of the oldest civilizations in the world, Korea still retains many of its long-held customs and traditions, developing its own cultural identity and making outstanding achievements. To better understand the Korean way of thinking and its contemporary culture, one needs to take into account the nuances of its history and the cross-generational exchange between tradition and contemporary thought. Mindy Solomon Gallery artists Lee Kang Hyo, Ree Soo Jung, Lee Inchin, and Lee Jung-Do work in clay to perpetuate traditional, academically defined  Korean aesthetic, while creating pieces that are uniquely their own.

Korean ceramics have been admired since the 12th century for their superb craftsmanship and original forms, techniques and design, as well a unique aesthetic. The functional beauty of Korean ceramics as well as the naturalist approach is important characteristics unique to Korean culture; an accumulation of experience, wisdom and a way of thinking over the centuries is still respected in all forms of art. (Above, Lee Kang-Hyo).

The natural landscape and an aesthetic preference for simplicity are of particular importance among the many factors which have shaped Korean art. Untouched nature is still of paramount importance to practice the spirit of leaving it as while seeking to discover ourselves. There is a sense of ease and harmony in contemporary ceramics which is grounded in Korea’s ancient ceramic traditions such as Buncheong ware yet taking it in new directions. (Above, Ree Soo-Jung).

Evoking nature itself, the imperfections of form, texture and fire provide a fresh interpretation and originality to these artists’ work. Emerging artist Sungyee Kim, (above), is creating two dimensional surfaces that convey a sense of textural mystery with her highly accomplished use of Sumi Ink, and mixed media. Her evocative surfaces are only eclipsed by the visual/spiritual interpretation of her deeply held Buddhist convictions.

People enjoy and appreciate contemporary art because of their ability to combine the past and the present and because of their unique characteristics that result through its own evolution. Contemporary Korean art has garnered a place in the narrative of Western contemporary art and has become an active participant in the globalizing art world. Because of the internationalism of cities like Seoul, there isn’t an ethnic marker to the country’s contemporary art, and that is one of its strengths. Without a history of political isolation, like China’s, or an insular culture, like Japan’s, Korea is more globally integrated. Its culture is the most adaptive of all the Asian nations. (Above, Sunkoo Yuh).

Influenced by culturally-specific impulses as well as Korean artists living and studying abroad, a new wave of Korean artists are gaining notoriety, taking from their own culture a proficiency of execution, a dexterity with material, and a thoughtfulness about artistic concerns; individual perspectives on modern life range from chaotic frenzy to a  meditative simplicity. (Above, Lee In-Chin).

SOFA New York April 20—23

We will be traveling to SOFA New York—April 20—23, 2012 and featuring the work of Korean artists: Sungyee Kim (TopL), Lee In-Chin (above),  Lee Kang Hyo (Top R), Ree Soo-Jong and Lee Jung-Do (Below). Please stop by and say hello.

Explicit Content Opening

A large crowd gathered at the Mindy Solomon Gallery on April 14th, 2012 for the much anticipated opening of Explicit Content. Artists on hand were: Becky Flanders, Barbara DeGenevieve, Scot Sothern and Christina West.

A brief, but lively artists talk was part of the festivities. Collectors for all media presented were present and interest was high. (Above, Scot Sothern and Barbara de Genevieve).

Detailed Information: On View May 26th—July 7th

“A mountain is composed of tiny grains of earth. The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water. Even so, life is but an endless series of little details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences, whether good or bad, of even the least of them, are far-reaching.” -Swami Sivananda

The exhibition ‘Detailed Information’ showcases a group of artists whose work is minutely crafted to exacting detail, rich with narrative content. The works in this show invite multiple viewings in order to capture important visual components that serve to decode the artists’ perspectives. Implicit to this group of artists is their mastery of techniques―whether it is old master, or the application of new technologies. Each artist uses their significant knowledge to impart a comprehensive visual story.

Marc Burckhardt, a painter trained in old master techniques to achieve texture and luminosity, defines his work in these terms: “I come from a storytelling as well as figurative tradition that is steeped in the visual language of Western art’s historical symbolism. I attempt to take the framework of this mutually shared iconography, and the cultural baggage we bring to it, and ’tilt’ the content to provide contemporary insights and commentary. Much of my work references what I call ‘possession-oriented’ genres that include portraiture and sporting painting; by altering these forms, I hope to provoke the viewer to question their intuitive cultural assumptions as well as explore the narrative potential of my imagery.” A sense of familiarity inhabits the work―yet the viewer is struck by a psychological disconnect between the real and imagined.

Another artist who utilizes elements of the familiar in a deconstructed sculptural milieu is John Byrd. Byrd’s highly articulated porcelain forms combine elements of recognizable animal bodyparts punctuated by incongruent mammalian elements. A taxidermy rabbit head sits like a specter atop a neck that seems more appropriate for a horse’s head. Internal organs and muscles peek out from layers of peeled flesh painstakingly carved and burnished to an ivory-like finish.

Artist Kate MacDowell also painstakingly carves porcelain to reveal elements that are metaphorical in nature. MacDowell states: “I hand-sculpt each piece out of porcelain, often building a solid form and then hollowing it out.  Smaller forms are built petal by petal, branch by branch, and allow me the chance to get immersed in close study of the structure of a blossom or a bee.  I chose porcelain for its luminous and ghostly qualities as well as its strength and ability to show fine texture.  It highlights both the impermanence and fragility of natural forms in a dying ecosystem while, paradoxically, being a material that can last for thousands of years and is historically associated with high status and value.  I see each piece as a captured and preserved specimen, a painstaking record of endangered natural forms and a commentary on our own culpability.” Each piece is a microscopic examination of the implications of our behavior on the natural world.

Artist Christopher Torrez is also highly engaged in the minutia of the natural world. Torrez writes: “I am drawn to issues of change, primarily in the natural world and the sciences. The use of a miniature scale reflects the small, yet complex and often overlooked details of the natural world. My forms, although inspired by nature, are not intended to replicate any known species or place. The fragility and the preciousness of these small worlds mimic the similar qualities of a delicate and complex ecosystem―once gone, irreparable. The predominantly white unglazed porcelain creates a quiet, somber quality. It reflects a palette to be filled, a life-force not yet present or that has been drained away. The discussion of the human impact on the environment becomes evident in these miniature worlds.” The inclusion of mirrors and lights create a visual illusion of multiple images without limits.

Artist Carrie Ann Baade paints extremely embellished detailed works that are part mythological story and new-age science fiction. Baade states: “As an artist and subject in my work, I serve as the steward and the axe-man to art’s legacy. Studying with art conservators and looking at the old masters has informed my choice to revitalize the archaic traditions of both traditional oil painting and egg tempera. My subjects are adopted from religion and mythology; these are often cautionary tales that mirror my personal experience. In desiring to speak to the complexity of the human condition, I use this language of allegory and narrative to relate my own story, which is at once an age-old tale.” Baade’s use of hundreds of separate clippings to form a new whole provides the viewer with an arresting array of pictorial references.

Fresh perspective and pristine detail are the hall marks of Wookjae Maeng’s animal heads. Maeng’s porcelain animal heads and other combined cast forms convey a sense of preciousness and fragility. The stark white porcelain against the bright gold eyes of a big horned sheep, or the perforated black porcelain head of a rhino mounted on a wooden board reminiscent of a trophy room in a hunting lodge, remind the viewer of objects known but altered. The deceptively small animal heads are a ghostly reminder of deeds past and actions gone unnoticed by an irresponsible world. Maeng’s work provides the most information with the least amount of detailed information.

Each of the artists exhibiting in ‘Detailed Information’ are masters of their deeply personal narratives—featuring an eye for finite detail while uncovering unique perspectives.

James Kennedy Radio Interview by Daniel Durning

James Kennedy has been gaining the attention of key fine art critics as a result of growing collector interest and consistent release of dynamic contemporary work. You can hear James interviewed by Daniel Durning, by clicking the Play symbol at the top of this link.

Scope 2012 Report : Hosted by Daniel Durning

Originally aired on Monday, April 2nd, 2012

What do painted linear structures, mirror drawings, light tunnels and the new breed of mobile and social applications for the art world have in common? They are all discussed in detail with host Daniel Durning on this program of Art and Technology live from Scope 2012 edition in New York City.

James Kennedy an Irish born artist talks about his paintings and his fascination with color proximities and the long process in creating the Spatial series exhibited at Mindy Solomon Gallery.

Kate MacDowell’s New Work

New work has recently been posted and available by sculptor Kate MacDowell. Kate MacDowell’s work celebrates the narrative tradition, often evoking humankind’s relations with nature. (Above, Quiet as a Mouse).

We do not want merely to see beauty…..We want something else which can hardly be put into words–to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. – C.S. Lewis. (Above, Stolen 1 & Stolen 2).

Kate MacDowell writes, “In my work this Romantic ideal of our relationship to the natural world conflicts with the reality of our current impact on the environment.  My pieces are in part responses to environmental threats including air pollution, global warming, clear-cutting, and pesticide misuse; and their consequences to our health and the environment including rapidly diminishing plant and animal species.  They also borrow from myth, art history, figures of speech and other cultural touchstones.  In some pieces aspects of the human figure stand-in for us and act out sometimes harrowing, sometimes humorous transformations which illustrate our current relationship with the natural world. In others, animals take on anthropomorphic qualities when they are given safety equipment to attempt to protect them from man-made environmental threats. In each case the union between man and nature is shown to be one of friction and discomfort with the implication that we too are vulnerable to being victimized by our destructive practices.” (Above, Stolen 1, detail).

“I hand sculpt each piece out of porcelain, often building a solid form and then hollowing it out. Smaller forms are built petal by petal, branch by branch and allow me the chance to get immersed in close study of the structure of a blossom or a bee. I chose porcelain for its luminous and ghostly qualities as well as its strength and ability to show fine texture. It highlights both the impermanence and fragility of natural forms in a dying ecosystem, while paradoxically, being a material that can last for thousands of years and is historically associated with high status and value.    I see each piece as a captured and preserved specimen, a painstaking record of endangered natural forms and a commentary on our own culpability.”  (Above, Quiet as a Mouse, unique and available per mouse).