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?

celebrating 10 years of colourful explosion!

EXHIBITION REVIEW ::: Milano, IT
Günther Förg, 10 Anni -- Ala -- Förg
Salvatore & Caroline Ala Galleria

Wide open spaces. Think big, clear open windows, minimalist fonts used on the text panels + labels, white walls and amazing graphic design. This is the space gallery owners Salvatore and Caroline Ala are more than lucky to have. Now, think an incredible mixing of colors on the palatte before dabbing them on these huge, larger-than-life size canvases... and you now have the work of Günther Förg, a contemporary German artist, who has worked on these conceptual masterpieces for the last decade. The body of work he has created over this period of time is hard to narrow down to a single medium. Add in some of the friendliest, dressed in business casual attire, gallery assistants... who took the liberty to greet you at the door, hand you information about the artist, and even offer you water on that hot June afternoon (acqua naturale o frizzante) and you got what is perhaps the most professional art gallery in all of Milan!



From his early Conceptual Art of the 1970s, Förg has come a long way from the simplistic monochromes and greys. Over the years, he has specialized in photography, sculpture, prints, drawings, and of course, paintings. He also makes installations and murals, in all of which there is a distinct reference to architecture, landscape and form. This rings true in that although Förg's work is minimalist in nature (due to the constant repetition of his designs), there is always something spontaneous that seeks to erupt out of the paintings and seeks to be different.

Just like what art experts believe to be Cezanne's last painting (of the garden outside his studio, unfinished), Förg's work appear to be "almost landcapes" and "almost cityspaces"; the colors, shapes and form bunch together to form an "almost" identified subject matter. It is as if his intention was to finish these paintings to look somewhat representational, but purposely left them "unfinished" in order to instill an air of mystery and wonder for those who view his work. In fact, if you look closely at his canvases, you might just catch a glimpse of where he was headed with his idea. This, my friends, is conceptual art at its very best: born out the mind, conceived by the brain and carried out in an exhasting expression of colors and forms, dancing off the canvas for all the world to see.

This show, which comprises of 19 works of acrylic on canvas (1o of which are in a large format -195 x 230 cm), 6 acrylic collages on paper, 8 pastel designs on paper e 3 square cross-hatched designs on paper... exhibits the work of this German contemporary artist at its very best, while one can truly grasp where he is coming from. It is no wonder that when asked about one of his watercolors, Förg responded with the following quote:

"I have always avoided subject matter. In the watercolors of windows, I was able to approach the subject matter of the window and even let some figures sneak in... Another frequent motif is the staircase, which is the result of one of my favorite movies, Vertigo. Unpleasant, but it haunts me."

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