Joan Witek and Gloria Ortiz-Hernandez
dal 15/2/2005 al 2/4/2005
Segnalato da
15/2/2005
Joan Witek and Gloria Ortiz-Hernandez
Bartha Contemporary, London
The exhibit will include new drawings and watercolours, as well as an early painting by Witek and recent sculptures by Ortiz-Hernandez. The artists have concerned themselves with the colour black in their work for several years. In the show works on various materials from graphite on paper to pigment on canvas as well as wax sculptures.
Gallery N. von Bartha is delighted to announce the forthcoming exhibition of works by Joan Witek and Gloria Ortiz-Hernandez. The exhibit will include new drawings and watercolours, as well as an early painting by Joan Witek and recent sculptures by Gloria Ortiz-Hernandez.
Ortiz- Hernandez and Witek have concerned themselves with the colour black in their work for several years. As Witek says, "it gives me a greater breadth of expression for my method of working. Both primitive and sophisticated, rational and expressionistic, black can exist within the framework of these seemingly opposite ideas." A central concern in the work of both artists is changing the many stereotypes about black, so that the viewer does not see it as either background or framing, or with typical psychological references.
The exhibition will include works on various materials from graphite on paper to pigment on canvas as well as wax sculptures. By working with a wide variety of materials, the artists, while limiting themselves to a single colour, present us with an array of limitless possibilities.
Ortiz-Hernandez works are often sequences in which single geometric shapes are repeated in a series of drawings. Each drawing marks a subtle change, which becomes fully apparent only as the series unfolds. These steps form a reference for Ortiz-Hernandez’s new wax sculpture. As the title Up and Down, II, 2005 indicates, the visual experience of the drawing is deliberately repeated as sculptural manifestation.
On the other hand, Witek’s works are mainly single drawings or paintings. The artist uses elaborate, sometimes grid-like geometric compositions which allow her to express the many facets of black. Witek notes: "To be able to see its beauty, delicacy, depth and variety is what I'm after." With various materials like watercolour on film, pastel and silver pencil on paper, and pigment on canvas, she produces a sensuousness of surface, concealing the hard-edged compositions, which underlay her works.
The artists have exhibited alongside each other in a series of museum group exhibitions in the United States. However this exhibition for the first time juxtaposes selected pieces by the two artists. In doing so, it reveals how two prominent American artists, while working independently, have developed resonant correspondences.
Opening Wednesday February 16th 2005
Gallery N. von Bartha Contemporary Art London
136b Lancaster Road First Floor London W11 1QU
Opening Hours: Thursday to Saturday 11AM - 5PM or by appointment