Flash Fiction. Karver suggests that life is passing us by as we text, talk, and surf the net on our handheld devices, when in fact we should be taking the time to stop, look, listen, and most importantly, imagine.
"... might take a year off to travel, but has no idea where to go, & has never been
away from home..."
This is one of many fabricated comments that Sherry Karver superimposes over select
subjects in an effort to take the anonymity out of strangers in a crowd. In her
art, Karver suggests that life is passing us by as we text, talk, and surf the net
on our handheld devices, when in fact we should be taking the time to stop, look,
listen, and most importantly, imagine. Through her seductive works, Karver makes
us more perceptive of our surroundings with all its drama and humor.
She begins by taking black and white photographs in a variety of public places,
most notably Grand Central Station. The text is then added digitally. Lastly, Karver
adds color with the application of numerous oil glazes and coats the final surface
with a UV resin whose reflective surface sometimes adds the viewer's own likeness
as part of the work.
The use of digital techniques to add text and soften detail combined with the age-old
technique of painting with successive oil glazes creates a shimmering and captivating
mood - a seductiveness evocative of good cinema - where the actors and director
take the time to make us believe.
The end result is that Karver breathes life into the nameless, the passersby whom
we will never get to know or meet. They could be sinners, saviors, saucy, or sensitive,
and Karver gives the viewer a front row seat to their lives.
This is Karver's third solo exhibition at Kim Foster Gallery. Her work has been
widely exhibited nationally and is included in over 150 private and corporate
collections.
She has been featured on the cover of over a dozen books and magazines.
Reception: Thursday, October 20, 6-8 pm
Kim Foster Gallery
529 West 20th Street - 1st Floor - New York