Opening soon...

If you are in the DC Area, please stop by to see this exhibition [and pay me a visit]...

Gretchen Feldman: "stitches in time, etc."

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10 from 5:30 until 8:30 pm

New paintings by NYC abstract watercolorist Gretchen Feldman will be featured in a solo exhibition at the Nevin Kelly Gallery from May 7 to June 1, 2008. Feldman’s abstract watercolors are influenced by images of the past (antique quilt patterns) and present (microscopic imagery from scientific studies).

CONTACT: Nevin Kelly Gallery 1517 U Street, NW Washington DC 20009 [e]: laura@nevinkellygallery.com [t]: 202.232.3464 [url]: http://www.nevinkellygallery.com and http://nevinkellygallery.blogspot.com

How far will you go in the name of ART?

From:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7344381.stm

RIP Pippa Bacca
'World peace' hitcher is murdered

Ms di Marineo (above) was hitch-hiking to the Middle East with a fellow artist.

An Italian woman artist who was hitch-hiking to the Middle East dressed as a bride to promote world peace has been found murdered in Turkey. The naked body of Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo, 33, known as Pippa Bacca, was found in bushes near the northern city of Gebze on Friday.

She had said she wanted to show that she could put her trust in the kindness of local people.
Turkish police say they have detained a man in connection with the killing. Reports say the man led the police to the body.

Autopsy

Ms di Marineo was hitch-hiking from Milan to Israel and the Palestinian Territories with a fellow artist on their "Brides on Tour" project. They had separated in Istanbul, planning to reunite in Beirut. Ms di Marineo was last seen on 31 March in Gebze.

An Italian embassy official told the Associated Press news agency police tracked the man when he put a new SIM card into Ms di Marineo's mobile phone. Local media identified the suspect only by the initials MK and said he had a previous conviction for theft.

Ms di Marineo's sister, who had gone to Turkey to look for her, identified the body. An autopsy is being conducted in Istanbul.

"Her travels were for an artistic performance and to give a message of peace and of trust, but not everyone deserves trust," another sister, Maria, told the Italian news agency, Ansa.

40x26.667

I used to think alternative exhibition space was a rarity in this town we call Washington DC; that is, until I made a pit stop at Caramel Boutique (16th and U Street) one chilly, Friday evening to attend the opening of 40x26.667. At this chic clothing store, I found an eclectic mix of photos ranging from the wild and rough terrain landscape of central Spain to the abstract, minimalist architecture of New York City, photos that were peeking out around racks of stylish, avant-garde party dresses and accessories. Local photographers Mark Parascandola (repped by the Nevin Kelly Gallery) and Stirling Elmendorf collaborated in this stunning photographic exhibition, which opened on 25 January, and is bound to leave lasting impression on those who view it.

After making my rounds and chatting with Mark about his photographic interests, I quickly realized that the eye is indeed the entrance to a photographer's creative soul. The challenge for every photographer is to find subjects and shoot in locations that are compelling not only for them, but for you, the viewer. In order to complete this task successfully, one needs to question the following: what has been done before? what can I do better or different from the rest? ... and ultimately, what subjects will force me to take a risk and please the viewers around me?


This day in age, with digital photography being the absolute norm (and a bunch of "wannabes" out there who think they make beautiful pictures), photographers need to constantly be aware of what is going on around them. They must have their camera + equipment by their side 24/7 in order to be at the right place at the right time to document interesting aspects of the subject that is commonly overlooked by the tourist taking a random snapshot of a famous monument in Europe. Good technique is not impossible to learn; it is simply a matter of practice and loads of patience. One must be able to see beauty in the mundane, and recreate it: exceedingly well. Thus is the life story of Mark and Stirling, who have traveled all over the globe to produce these amazing photographs.

I, of course, categorize myself in the "wannabe" section and did my own photographic capturing of the opening, which can be found here. Hope you enjoy them!

40x26.667 is on view from now until Leap Year Day, 29 February 2008. Stop by and see it if you haven't done so already.

An IDEAL Mix-Up: Opening this Saturday

Please join us THIS Saturday, 26 January 2008 at 4pm for a lecture on Polish art by gallery director Nevin Kelly. Refreshments will follow the talk...

An Ideal Mix-Up: A Winter Group Exhibition at the NKG
January 16 - February 24, 2008


A group exhibition that includes works by the contemporary Polish artists that helped launch the gallery in May 2003 and the many local artists who have joined the gallery along the way. The exhibition celebrates both the gallery's origins and its development as a platform for showcasing emerging trends in local art. Unlike most group shows, which remain static during their entire run, works in this show will be hung and re-hung in stages as works are sold or anchor pieces are moved to share the spotlight. The exhibition will feature works by local artists Sondra Arkin, Joan Belmar, Ellyn Weiss, Mary Chiaramonte and Laurel Hausler and by Polish artists Edward Dwurnik, Darek Pala, Krzysztof Kokoryn, Pawel Król, Lukasz Huculak and Michal Zaborowski.

Laura M. Kuah, Gallery Assistant
Nevin Kelly Gallery
1517 U Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Tel.: 202-232-3464
Fax: 202-232-3465
E-mail: laura@nevinkellygallery.com
Web: www.nevinkellygallery.com
and http://nevinkellygallery.blogspot.com

transforming museums

In light of the holidays, I thought I'd take a break from blogging about NKG's artists and include a portion of thoughts that I've brainstormed for several upcoming paper proposals that my friend Emily and I are working on - the most recent being for the Transforming Museums conference that is due in less than 3 weeks. Feedback or any kind of constructive commenting is greatly appreciated as I piece this abstract together [that means YOU, the reader, has to comment and comment well]. Happy Holidays!

:: TOPIC ::

How do we transform museums? By putting together unconventional exhibits and display art that goes against the norm of typical museum practices – to have a healthy dose of resonance and wonder, to educate people, to address to the general public questions that are “politically incorrect”, that forces them to think outside the box, to tell the truth when presenting historical exhibits (such as the history of colonization), to extend beyond the visual interpretation and cater to all five senses of our human existence, to question the museum as a space and use it for other (more meaningful) purposes

Who is leading these transformations? Museums in the UK and Europe, and also in Asia. Most definitely NOT in the United States (although some can allude influence given in place such as NYC, Miami and California)... mostly contemporary art museums, though I believe this can also exist in other museums. The V&A in London is a great example of this. The Venice Biennale is an eve better example, though not a museum, was amazing in adhering to all of these transformations.

How do we define transformation? Transformation in museums perpetuates when these age-old institutions stops being “a colossal mirror where man finds himself literally an object of wonder” and visitors begin to experience liminality (which, characterized by ambiguity, openness, and indeterminacy, can also be denoted as a period of transition, during which your ordinary limits to self-understanding, thought and behavior are relaxed) in the changes that are taking place.

Why are these transformations taking place? Because people like ME are sick and tired of seeing the same, boring, "Blockbuster" exhibits in museums worldwide… because art that thinks outside the box does no longer exists as a painting on the wall… because the mission of contemporary art is to act not only as a creative (or not so creative) form of human expression, but a catalyst to ask questions, to seek answers, to respond, to experiment, to instill meaning (or lack thereof) and to create a fluidity of meaning in order to exploit some kind of physical representation that links both the viewer and creator of the artwork together. On the international level, it is also accurate to state that contemporary art takes an even bigger risk not only in unconventional media, but also in subject matter that might be highly offensive to the general public (usually having to do with nudity, politics, religion, homosexuality and horrific events in history of humanity – wars, slavery, famines, genocide)… and because it makes things more interesting, as a breath of fresh air is always needed.

Are there discernible patterns in this change? There better be. It’s all a matter of time and how much money people have to re-create museums, and the response of the audience of course… as well as how many risks museums are willing to take without losing the sponsorship of their patrons.

Merry see, merry do...

In an age of technological advancement, it is difficult to remember that life can be lived without constant access to our ipod(s), computers and cell phones. The average person is bombarded daily with a million more images than those who lived during the Middle Ages. It also seems that today, many parents spoil their kids with all latest gadgets and promote little human interaction in return. Not very long ago, Mary Chiaramonte’s parents did the exact opposite.

Local artist Mary Chiaramonte was raised the old fashioned way in Harmony, WV, a remote town of no more than 100 residents in the early 1980s. Growing up, Mary and her siblings had no TV and lived off of and worked on the land. They were encouraged to entertain themselves with objects in nature, thereby turning twigs into toys. As a result, Mary was left with the workings of her imagination and observation of the world around her to produce amazing paintings and drawings.

For as long as she could remember, Mary’s interest was in the visual depiction of the human story. As a child attending a Ringling Brothers Show with her family, Mary paid more attention to the people in the audience than the performers on stage. She is the kind of person who enjoys sitting on a park bench and watching the world go by. The thing that drives her day to day is knowing about other people and the lives they lead.

Though some may consider her work to be more on the darker side (due to the artist’s choice of a melancholic color palate), Mary’s heavily lacquered paintings explore the most intimate moments of the human experience. In her unique oeuvre, she “rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep.” Mary’s paintings are personal and represent both the reactions of the persons depicted, and her own. Obvious symbolism also occurs in her paintings, such as a heart cut in two, roses and a string of dead fruit. The best part is that no matter what feelings are conveyed, Mary always leaves an air of mystery and personal interpretation in each piece created. This happens when images are cropped, she emphasizes her graphic style and certain body parts are purposely not shown.


One of my favorite works by Mary Chiaramonte is currently featured in NKG’s Third Annual Attainable Art show. Daylights (pictured above: 2007, mixed media, 20 x 16 in.) shows a female torso wearing a black dress from chest down, walking in the middle of a double-yellow lined road. This story takes place at night, and the figure is surrounded by five small, illuminating balls of light. The bottom part of the figure shines while the top morphs into the dark of the night. Given the intriguing cropping of the figure at bust level and a brilliant imagination, one can only begin to surmise the powerful story behind this painting.

***
Mary once said that she hopes to successfully document the lives of those she comes into contact with in her paintings as a way of doing something worthwhile in life. I think she has done just that, if not more. Check out her extraordinary paper-cuts at her official website, www.merrysee.com

Holiday Open House TOMORROW!

Deck the WALLS with amazing contemporary artwork...

Just a reminder that NKG's Holiday Open House happens tomorrow afternoon, December 1, 2007 from 4-7pm. Come celebrate the holiday season with us! The Third Annual Attainable Art Show features a variety of artwork under $1500 available for purchase, from both local and international artists. Holiday goodies and drinks will be served. See you all tomorrow!

###

Nevin Kelly Gallery

1517 U Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

T: 202.232.3464

F: 202.232.3465

E: info@nevinkellygallery.com

Nearest Metro: Dupont Circle (red line) and U Street/Cardozzo (green line).

Lyrical Collagist Rocks DC (and your inner soul?)

Pictured in this Entry: (1) Duplex and Concentric Green, 2007, mixed media on plywood, 21 x 25 in and (2) Duplex I, 2007, mixed media on plywood, 21 x 25 in

Let's take a closer look at Chilean-born, Washington DC based, lyrical mylar collage mastermind Joan Belmar. Pronounced "Joe-on", Belmar might be unfamiliar to some NKG visitors as he does not yet have a page on our official website, but his work is certainly not to be overlooked! He started out with paintings, but in recent years have moved towards the world of abstract collages. Though one might observe that there are echoes of OP Art and minimalist qualities in his general body of work, Belmar's mixed media collages are certainly one-of-a-kind. They are a reflection of the inner workings of his spirit, and does not immitate the work of anyone else: he is his own, unique person.

Pristine strips of solid-colored mylar are delicately placed under the glass of a plywood frame, constructed into circles of all shape and sizes; some slightly more representational than others. There are usually no more than 4 colors/hues represented simultaneously. Some of these compositions can easily be compared to a 3-dimensional approach to the biological system of the human body, found in the science textbooks of today. Due to his use of modern materials, such as plastic, acetate, mylar and glass, an optical illusion is easily created. Viewing these works allows one's sense of curiosity to leap out, to question the purpose of his art and to be able to reach in and physically feel the materials in order to fully grasp the concept of each collage. Undeniably, there is also a deep sense of nostalgia connected to Belmar's collages that purge the viewers to take a deeper look at their own respective lives in light of his art. The somewhat uncomfortable, tingly sensation never dies, and an air of mystery prevails.



Strongly influenced by Anish Kapoor's scuplture at the Hirshhorn, which depicts a bisected egg painted blue, Belmar's work exists in order for us to test our eyes and abilities to perceive the things that take place around us. His constant exploration with circles (specifically with the mandala principle) helps us realize the importance to constantly access deeper into the levels consciousness, that life is not perfect and that we as humans are all in this together. This is why Belmar creates worlds in his art where some things are clear, others translucent and the latter opaque: it makes the journey of life more interesting to discover.

Prior to moving to the United States in 1999, Belmar lived and experienced "multiple lives" in both Spain and his native Chile. His response to the events of his life are blatantly reflected in his artwork, which he describes with adjectives such as "alienation" and "disconnectedness". Through the daring use of his concentric collages, Belmar excels in his goal to not only examine critical social structures, but also to [psychologically] analyze those who struggle within them; including, himself. It is like reading the artists' autobiography in his artwork, making himself completely vulnerable to the masses and allowing us to respond in light of our own life experiences. Isn't this is what the circle of life is about, after all?

Rivaling the likes of Mark Rothko...

Here is an Artist Feature I wrote the other day about one of Nevin Kelly Gallery's most prominent local artists: Sondra Arkin. Her work serves as beautiful, abstract meditation pieces, and she is molto passionate about what she does in life. Take that... Mark Rothko!

Pictured Above: Orange Tide, triptych, 2006, encaustic on dibond, each panel 32 x 32 in.

*********
For over 25 years, local DC artist Sondra Arkin has transformed whatever space was available to her at that given point in time (spare bedroom, dining room or basement) into a haven for creative expression. Although art-making was always in her blood throughout the course of her life, it wasn't until 2001 that Sondra took a risk and quit her day job in marketing to pursue art full-time. This huge leap of faith resulted in a myriad of awards, features in newspapers such as The Washington Post, participation in both group/solo shows all over the mid-Atlantic region and most recently, working as a project curator on behalf of the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities on the new City Hall Art Collection @t the John A. Wilson Building downtown. Sondra's colorful, abstract, mixed media canvases, which rival those of Mark Rothko, and imaginative box-construction works have been widely received by local and national audiences alike. She is also a frequent exhibitor at our gallery and will be featured in the Third Annual Attainable Art Show, opening November 24th.

What strikes me the most about Sondra Arkin's work is her ability to create art that is both purposeful and powerful. No matter the size, material used or color combinations (only warm or cool colors, a combination of the two, a more monochromatic palate), Sondra's work never ceases to create a lasting impression for all who come into contact with it. It is not abstract for the sake of being non-representational, but abstract to evoke every little emotion that is hiding behind our imperfect, human façade. There is a distinct type of [positive] energy in her work that forces the viewer to pause, observe and think beyond what is physically represented on the canvas. Furthermore, Sondra's free style of painting caters to just about anyone: the hip, young art school student to children learning their colors for the first time, spiritual soul-seekers and even to those in the professional world who value high aesthetics.

In recent years, Sondra Arkin's unique encaustic (otherwise known as "hot wax painting", which uses heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added -- dates back to 100-300 AD) technique has led the artist to break free from the picture plane approach and make paintings that take on a more sculptural feel. Now, her compositions are not only conceptual and vibrant, but also boast a soft, playfulness of colors that echoes a dichotomy of the combination of diverse materials. She also extends her experimentation of focusing simply on individual work with the inclusion of diptypchs, triptypchs and polytptychs, thereby proding the viewers to look at these pieces as a whole and enhance the conversations further.

Those who attended the Color: Field Tests show back in April/May of this year may remember Sondra's involvement to help promote the citywide Color Field Remix -- a movement from the 1960s that emerged after Abstract Expressionism and is widely characterized by abstract canvases painted with large areas of solid colors. Her entire oeuvre, be it a mixed media collage/box of found objects or a spiritual landscape of vibrant layers of warm colors, has the power to communicate a positive message to the masses: that life, as we know it, is comprised of layers, both good and bad. We as humans will experience both highs and lows in this journey called life, but these feelings are necessary as we stretch, evolve and grow.

Ultimately, Sondra hopes that what surfaces out of these layers of influence is something of value and beauty. By encouraging her viewers to take an introspective approach while confronted with her artwork, Sondra desires that a tangible layer will then be added to our respective lives, which will hopefully enrich it all the more.

A Timeless Snapshot: Michal Zaborowski

"...a romantic impressionist with a contemporary voice."

I now work for the Nevin Kelly Gallery here off U Street in Washington DC. Our current exhibition is a show entitled H2O by Polish contemporary artist Michal Zaborowski, which opened on October 11, 2007 and will be on view until November 11, 2007. I was going to do an exhibition review, but have volunteered my art criticism services to our official gallery blog which can be found by clicking here. I am responsible for the weekly artist features on NKG's blog. Pop on over there and stay tuned for more of my muses on this exhibition... and, enjoy!

IAM, therefore I create.

IAM has finally moved to their new, physical, studio space on W. 59th Street in the heart of mid-town Manhattan. IAM gathers artists and creative catalysts to wrestle with the deep questions of art, faith and humanity in order to inspire the community to engage the culture that is and create the world that ought to be.

Art has been and will continue to be society's existential statement, by answering the question, "Why live?" International Arts Movement works as a catalyst in the NYC area and worldwide to inspire people to hope, to engage deeply into the depth of culture, with the hopes of creating a world that ought to be. After all, in order for artistic excellence to pave the way for lasting, enduring humanity, this is what we "ought to be".

IAM founder and prominent artist Makoto Fujimura's art is described by art critic Robert Kushner as, "The idea of forging a new kind of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which finds Fujimura's work at the vanguard." International Arts Movement is an outgrowth of this "forging", and desires to collaborate with other influences from all walks of life, empowering their work and growth.

To learn more, click on the link above or visit Mako's official website here. Here's to more purpose-filled creativity in the years to come!

China Square

"She & I: Sculpture of Xiang Jing and Guangci", curated by Gao Shiming and Lilly Wei. On view from Sept. 7th through Nov. 15th, the life-sized sculptures explore and narrate Chinese cultural discourse, with an emphasis on the post-feminism era. Both Xiang Jing’s and Guangci’s work, made of industrial strength synthetic materials, investigate the social and political changes surrounding China. A must see for anyone browsing the Chelsea galleries this fall...

innocent fear?

Contemporary Indian Art

Urban Landscapes

Warehouse turned Artsy

Senti con la MENTA...???

I have returned to the country where @rt always sits on its ass in a museum and does nothing, where the majority of the people who attend "Blockbuster" exhibitions go mainly because they enjoy looking at pretty pictures and where risk-taking is a definite no-no...... =( Alas, I'm stuck in Washington DC, yet again. I long to be back in Europa, but I guess its time to identify the movers and the shakers in the good ol' US of A while I'm still here.


However, before I left the beauuutiful BOOT, that is, Italia, I had the opportunity to attend the 52nd International Art Exhibition: La Biennale di Venezia. The Venice Biennale was amazing yet a bit too much of a visual overload, and too much to sum up all in a review (will probably end up being a dissertation --- ahhh, run for the HILLS). Robert Storr is a freakin' genius and the overall exhibition was executed very well. And heck, it took place in VENICE... who can possibly complain about that? So, I made it easier for all of you who were unable to see it (goes on until mid-November) to experience it via this slideshow video a la' IMovie on my new, freakin' awesome, MACBOOK PRO.

VIDEO JOURNAL: http://georgetown.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=510378011764

Enjoy it, and stay tuned for more blogs to come on exhibitions in museums, galleries, public spaces and wherever the journey of life takes me!

reinventing an all'antica tradition

Black. Textured. Tangible.These adjectives alone can only begin to describe the exquisite craftsmanship that goes into these bucchero wares, created by an extremely talented and passionate ceramicist from Orvieto, Italy. Anna Spallaccia’s work has taken contemporary ceramics to another dimension. In her small yet quaint shop on Vicolo dei Dolci, 2, across from the splendid Orvieto Duomo, one can find an interesting collection of objects (from jewelry to bowls, candle holders to decorative spheres) created in the bucchero tradition. She combines the ancient techniques of firing this black terracotta (so to speak) wear with the etching of contemporary designs, the revival of an all’antica tradition into this art form that also looks forward, while at the same time, takes inspiration from past traditions.

This indigenous art form was dominated by the Etruscans (who resided in what we know of today as the provence of Umbria in Central Italy), from the 5th to 7th Century A.D. At that time, this process of firing was new and revolutionary. This “smelly earth” type of clay (derived from the word “bucaro”, which signifies such in Portuguese, always presents a chromatic composition of black, uniform tonality, with a bright and superficial glean on the surface. The types of objects produced are therefore more purified, maybe mixed with carbon and came out of an extremely advanced technique. Like terracotta, when one lightly taps these bucchero wares, one can find that although the objects may appear to be durable, there is a distinct echo that bounces off the metal. These wares, when produced, turn out to be either light or heavyweight, and can be reproduced in many different forms.

Above all, Anna Spallaccia’s bucchero ware stands out because of her unique ways of implementing designs. Back in the days of the Etruscans, the typical designs found on these utilitarian wares consisted of graffiti, horses, symbols and other figures. Today, Anna has created a conceptual landscape on each of these wares, combining an assortment of shapes, lines dots and swirls. Certain parts are removed and interesting shapes are made to render a more contemporary look for the art of today. Pieces may look similar, but no two pieces are exactly the same. These designs may be minimalist, but they never fail to add a dash of pizzazz to yet another “white cube” contemporary art gallery, or to someone’s modernist living room. In fact, Anna’s bucchero ware is the perfect example of how one can combine an ancient tradition with the stylistic attitude of our post-post modern times.

molto avanguardie!

Exhibition Review :: Milano (IT)
Galleria Gio’ Macroni
Franz Ackermann “From Eden to Lima”

Galleria Gio’ Macroni, where I had my first interview in Italy for a real job after graduation, consists of a very well-designed modern building with two floors and lots of professional gallery space. The dominate colors of this gallery are yellow and white, and boasts of a good use of exhibition space, as well as excellent lighting. At this stellar contemporary art gallery owned by a famous father-son duo, there is A/C (almost unheard of in Italy, still!) and a large, very professional staff to help out with the necessary gallery functions. It was evident, when browsing the gallery after my interview, that this was the type of environment I wanted to work in.


Unlike most of the galleries I frequented this summer, there were two shows going on simultaneously at Galleria Gio’ Macroni. The one that took place downstairs displayed what seemed to be the chaos caused by typhoons and hurricanes in some South American country (Peru?). This exhibition, which took place in three galleries, consisted of big and small paintings (think abstract/morphed land and cityscapes), mostly painted with bold and daring neon colors, clutter of the actual damage caused by these natural disasters (think damaged palm trees scattered on the ground and a broken, deserted boat) and photographs (both color and b & w, mounted on a pedestal as a collage or in a horizontal line on the wall) of people, places, landscapes, street signs, religious icons, nightlife and scenes of everyday life. In addition, there were also pictures of rundown buildings, new and very contemporary urban developments, beaches, highways, airports and street art. The point to be proven seemed to be simply this: Material things and the geniuses of mankind are here today, gone tomorrow, for one can never predict what will happen tomorrow.

One of the most creative ways of combining mediums was a funky shaped, neon colored painting that was plastered to the wall. The painting itself plays out to be a conceptual image of twisted, circular branches floating into the trunk of the tree; the top part of the painting, which seems to represent a huge wave (duo-toned blue), has a peep-hole one can peer into and see, inside the wall, a (silent) video of people and monsters protesting, walking around a stadium, carrying flags, and cheering. There was also a float going around the stadium, with people dressed like Captain Hook in yellow and white costumes. This parade seemed to take place in Brazil, due to all the Brazilian flags and such. Could it be that these creatures, emerged out of the video and were the ones responsible for the damage? Could this be their celebration of victory?

But hey, remember that this IS contemporary art… which can be just about anything anyone feels like creating, RIGHT?!


As a whole, this exhibit was creatively imputed and in your face, chaotic yet boldly honest. Even though it was (as the British put it) “a right mess”, it emphasized what once was and what will never be again. This was an exhibit that you could feel with all that was within you, as you stand in the middle of sheer chaos. It forces one to stop and ponder on what is truly valuable in life, and which things are worth holding onto. It also questions the worth of art as something incredibly temporary, and asks why we put so much time, money and creative energy on things that could easily be wiped away within the blink of an eye.

WE <3 JOYS

Exhibition Review :: Milano (IT)
Allegra Ravizza :: ART PROJECT
JOYS; Personale




On virtually every other building in Milan, there is some sort of graffiti scrawled on it - some well-scripted and visually appealing; others, not so much. Some consider it an art form while others call it an act of vandalism. Many argue that its the only way to keep a culture alive, to communicate important messages to the masses. Graffiti may be unconventional and unsolicited, but it does not disqualify it from being a kind of art, a kind of expression. Graffiti in every major citiy of the world is similiar, yet also different; each culture develops its own creativity and skills.


I first came across Allegra Ravizza Art Project during the opening night of their exhibition, entitled JOYS (the pen name of artist Cristian Bovo, Padova, 1974), on 24 May 2007. Due to the amount of people and the delicious bellinis served that night, it wasn't until weeks later that I went back to get a closer look at the art of this JOYS fellow.


My first reaction to the work of JOYS was how different his work was from the works I've seen at other gallery openings of the same genre (meaning, Contemporary Art). It was so refreshing to stand before art that thinks outside the box. To me, this man has taken (Italian) penmanship to the next level, where the forms remain attached together yet one is still able to make out what these letters are supposed to represent. His sculpture represents an eclectic but cool three-dimensional approach to graffiti, better known as "art on the wall" (in the case of this exhibition, since it is mounted on the walls). Bold colors of red, yellow, blue and purple grabbed my attention. These sculptures were far beyond what the human mind could comprehend, and although I did not immediately identify the works as "script", I did feel that they could jump off the wall at any given time. I felt that his works have overcome the confines of two-dimensional space and because each letter was so precise, geometrical and so perfect, knew that he must have been influenced by mathematics and probably the works of M.C. Escher.


I can see JOYS' sculptures being used as a means of not only communicating the need to be creative and the survival of a culture, but profound words and phrases with the ability to spread a message across, be it something political, cultural, social or religious. Art that has a purpose, which also has a presence, is much needed in our seemingly nihilistic urban environments.

Colorful pipes, anyone?