HERNAN BAS – DEEP IN THE DARK OF TEXAS

Posted on 2013-09-09

Hernan Bas will be showing new medium and large-format paintings on canvas and linen, and several works on paper. Hernan Bas created this new body of work during an artist residency at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Marfa became an artist colony of sorts in the 1970s when Donald Judd moved there and founded the Chinati Foundation. Located in the Chihuahuan Dessert close to the Mexican border, Marfa is indeed deep in the dark of Texas, as the exhibition title implies.

Vast, sprawling landscapes have inhabited the paintings of Hernan Bas for some time now, so the impressions Bas gathered during his residency in Texas seem like a natural continuation of his theme. The painting There’s just no point in crying accentuates the shimmering heat with the yellow and white horizon in the background, while a young man stands silently in the center front, looking down on a grave (2013, acrylic and airbrush on linen, 182 x 152 cm, shown on invitation card). Inspired by the aesthetics of the male androgynous dandy, Hernan Bas constructs an account of adolescent exploration. In other instances the suggested narratives may double as metaphors for a sexual and sensual awakening. Usually portrayed alone amidst their surroundings, the youths in Hernan Bas’s paintings reside in a utopian world of instinctive sensuality.

The detailed surfaces of the exhibited paintings are full of vibrant colors layered in broad brushstrokes. Despite the large formats of his paintings, Hernan Bas continues to work without studio assistants, thus maintaining a maximum operating range. Recently, Hernan Bas has explored and expanded on printing techniques, which he combines with painting to add texture to his works. The exhibition is completed with the presentation of smaller works on paper, which address the same thematic realm.

Exhibition runs through to October 19th, 2013

Galerie Peter Kilchmann
Zahnradstrasse 21
CH-8005 Zurich
Switzerland

www.peterkilchmann.com

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AMY HILL – THE AGE OF DELIGHTENMENT

Posted on 2013-09-09

Hill composes contemporary scenes inspired by pious gestures and devout expressions of Fifteenth century Flemish altarpieces and portraits. Her past series portrayed “Bikers” via Rembrandt and “Bohemians” a la Memling, now she turns worshippers of Mary into “Goth Girls.” Featured in this exhibition will be Amy Hill’s “Seven Deadly Sins” series, in which Hill references the central panel of Han Memling’s Triptych of Earthly Vanity and Divine Salvation. The figure’s pose and the iconography are transmuted to relate a contemporary update on the concept of the seven deadly sins. Apathy, Distraction, Deprivation, Nymphomania, Paranoia, Syntheticity and Workaholism replace the traditionally known sins, reflecting the current vices plaguing society. While the structure of each painting retains elemental features of Memling’s Vanity, Hill redirects their reference to contemporary associations.

Amy Hill’s series “Women in Goth Clothing” relates the history of portraiture through the history of fashion. Clothing elements of the past, such as large ruffled collars, puffed-up sleeves and the folds of draping fabric can be seen as the primary concern in compositions of many well-known images. Hill considers the historical poses that accentuate these fashions and utilizes them as a departure point, attributing contemporary clothing trends as an indicator of current times. Hill retains the primary characterizations of 15th century Flemish art with her use of idealism and experimentation with perspective, creating portraits that are a contemporary reflection of the past. The subjects of her paintings are chosen from the fringes of society where there is more self-expression and give a more impactful view of today’s society.

Exhibition runs through to October 13th, 2013

The Front Room
147 Roebling St
Williamsburg
Brooklyn
New York
NY

www.frontroom.org

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RICHARD SERRA – TRAJECTORY

Posted on 2013-09-09

This exhibition focuses on three groups of etchings from the past ten years. Extension and Trajectory are both part of the Arc of the Curve series from 2004, and examine movement through space and the curve of a line, from broad, sweeping gestures to slight bends and turns. Some lean dramatically; others stoop. In contrast, Ballast (2011), is a series dealing with weight, stability and control; the black mass sits at the bottom of the sheet, revealing a small glimpse of white paper at the top. These prints are serious, minimal and sculptural – a closer look at their surface reveals a highly pitted, three-dimensional, intaglio landscape.

In order to achieve the texture in these etchings, a ‘found’ surface in the form of an exterior stucco wall was used. Frosted mylar was taped to the wall and then lithographic rubbing ink was applied. The texture of the wall was then transferred to a copper plate photographically using a light sensitive emulsion, and the plate was then subjected to the traditional etching process using a tank of acid (Ferric Chloride).

Exhibition runs through to October 8th, 2013

Alan Cristea Gallery
31 & 34 Cork Street
London
W1S 3NU

alancristea.com

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