Sista Pratesi / Jankel Adler

Gimpel Fils, London

The Living End. In her new body of work Pratesi builds upon the themes of psychological transformation and transition found in her earlier paintings.The works by Jankel Adler demonstrate the breadth of his investigations; figurative ink drawings from 1940 and 1941 display emotions, subtly caught in sketchy lines, while paintings from 1947 depict ambiguous, abstract symbols.

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Sista Pratesi
The Living End

We enter into a space with islands of carpet, clusters of objects, and paintings hanging on the wall. Elements can be picked out, traces of carving, lengths of flowing hair, and figures merging into, or coming out of, abstract spaces. It is not apparent whether this site is an archaeological find of a once powerful empire, or the beginnings of a new world. We are looking at the expression of a state of mind, in which the emotional has become physical. Offered a world of ambiguity and superstitions, somehow out of time, it is unclear whether these are ghosts of the past, or totems for the unknown future.

In her new body of work Pratesi builds upon the themes of psychological transformation and transition found in her earlier paintings. Here totemic sculptures are recognized as having symbolic power, but their relationship with the world and their use, remains unknown. Objects are improvised and provisional, held in place by drawing pins, responsive to emotional intuition, connections with the subconscious, and mapping changed states of mind. Their making is not hidden, thereby creating a sense of possibility and growth. In The Living End pasts and futures are offered simultaneously while knowledge and truth remain elusive.

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Jankel Adler

Jankel Adler (1895-1949) had his first exhibition at Gimpel Fils in March 1947, displaying works inspired by the writings of Franz Kafka. Gimpel Fils had opened in November the previous year and Adler’s display was the third exhibition in the gallery’s history. Throughout his career, Adler explored the tension between abstraction and naturalism. The works in this exhibition demonstrate the breadth of his investigations; figurative ink drawings from 1940 and 1941 display emotions, subtly caught in sketchy lines, while paintings from 1947 depict ambiguous, abstract symbols. What was consistent in Adler’s practice however, was a dedication to capturing the dignity of the human spirit.

Image: Sista Pratesi

Private View: Thursday 19 January, 6-8 pm

Gimpel Fils
30 Davies Street - London
Gallery hours: Mon - Fri 10am - 5.30pm, Sat 11am - 4pm
Free admission

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IN ARCHIVIO [41]

Hannah Maybank
dal 10/9/2013 al 10/9/2013