Tag Archives: Portraits

John Singer Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends at the Met, Closing October 4th!

September 29, 2015 rezpect Leave a comment

Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau) 1884 (All Photos By Gail)

I think I sat on this a little bit longer than I should have, because I expected this exhibit to be up for a couple more months instead of ending this coming weekend. My bad! You are advised to act fast and make it to The Met to take in Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends before it closes next Sunday! Here are a few of my favorite paintings from the show, along with background on what you’ll see!

La Carmencita, 1890

Throughout his career, the celebrated American painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) created exceptional portraits of artists, writers, actors, dancers, and musicians, many of whom were his close friends. As a group, these portraits — many of which were not commissioned — are often highly charged, intimate, witty, idiosyncratic, and more experimental than his formal portraiture. Brilliant works of art and penetrating character studies, they are also records of relationships, influences, aspirations, and allegiances.

Claude Monet, 1887

Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends brings together ninety-two of the artist’s paintings and drawings of members of his impressive artistic circle. The individuals seen through Sargent’s eyes represent a range of leading figures in the creative arts of the time such as artists Claude Monet and Auguste Rodin, writers Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry James, and the actor Ellen Terry, among others.

Shakespearean Actor Ellen Terry As Lady Macbeth, 1889

The exhibition features some of Sargent’s most celebrated full-length portraits (Dr. Pozzi at Home, Hammer Museum), his dazzling subject paintings created in the Italian countryside (Group with Parasols [Siesta], private collection), and brilliant watercolors (In the Generalife, The Metropolitan Museum of Art) alongside lesser-known portrait sketches of his intimate friends (Vernon Lee, 1881, Tate). The exhibition explores the friendships between Sargent and his artistic sitters, as well as the significance of these relationships to his life and art.

Shakespearean Actor Edwin Booth, 1890 (Brother of John Wilkes Booth)

A Dinner Table at Night (Edith and Albert Vickers), 1884

Garden Study of the Vickers Children (Billy and Dorothy), 1884

Mrs. Hugh Hammersley (Mary Frances), 1892

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1887

Isabella Stewart Gardner, 1888

The story of Sargent’s relationship with each of his subjects is posted next to each painting and it is such a fascinating history lesson and a rapturous trip back in time to imagine what life must have been like for these people. What’s even more exciting is that photography is allowed, and that almost never happens, so please try to see this exhibit before it closes.

Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends, will be on Exhibit Through October 4th, 2015 in Gallery 999 of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Located at 1000 Fifth Ave at 81st Street, New York, NY.

Arts and Culture

Preview: Russell Young’s Fame/Shame at Bertrand Delacroix Gallery, Reception September 17th

September 16, 2015 rezpect 1 Comment

All Photos By Gail

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 17th (6-8pm)

Bertrand Delacroix Gallery is thrilled to announce FAME/SHAME, a one-time special collaboration between the gallery and famed British artist Russell Young. The artist is internationally renowned for his colorful enamel screen-print paintings of celebrities, often coated in shimmering diamond dust. In Anna Wilding’s documentary on the artist, he states:

“My art is best described as fame and shame.”

This is exemplified in this exhibition’s mix of glamorous celebrity photos and mug shots.

Young’s signature technique combines painting and photography to produce a unique effect. He sources the photographs from newspaper cuttings, auctions, celebrities themselves and even police departments.

Continue reading Preview: Russell Young’s Fame/Shame at Bertrand Delacroix Gallery, Reception September 17th →

Arts and Culture

Last Rites Gallery Presents Transfigure Group Show

August 28, 2015 rezpect Leave a comment

Sarah Joncas Otherworldly (All Photos By Gail)

Last Rites Gallery is currently hosting Transfigure, a group exhibition featuring new paintings by Sarah Joncas (whose work we first saw at Last Rites way back in 2011), along with Alex Garant, and husband and wife collaborative duo Kit King and Corey Popp, known creatively as Oda & King. This is a fresh group of artists that are bringing something cool and dark to contemporary portraiture.

Oda & King, Creation

Transfigure explores the overall theme of transforming one idea into something more beautiful or elaborate. The shared goal is to inspire discussion which bridges the gap between styles, mediums and other aesthetic factors existing within the realm of artistry.

For this exhibition, each artist has chosen to move beyond his or her central medium and explore the convolution of experiences, which stem from the creative process. Alex Garant has painted a collection of women’s traditional portraits with a surreal edge; where each subject not only appears to have Multiple Eyes, but multiple countenances, entirely. The painting above, of a young girl holding her pet rabbit, is absolutely astounding.

Alex Garant, Boudoir

Oda & King, Our Little Secret

My eyes sting just looking at this one.

Sarah Joncas, Wither

Oda & King, Refugee

This presentation of shifting techniques examines the complex relationship amongst artists, object, and form as well as the formative innovations that occur when one decides to move beyond their comfort zone.

Transfigure will be on Exhibit through October 3rd, 2015 at Last Rites Gallery, Located at 325 West 38th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) in NYC.

Arts and Culture

Last Rites Gallery Presents: Chet Zar’s The Demon Show

May 28, 2015 rezpect 3 Comments

All Photos By Gail

Do you like Monsters? I sure do. And one thing I know is that artist Chet Zar likes to paint Monsters, and no one does that better than him.

Chet Zar’s monsters are the stuff that the very best nightmares are made of, which is why it makes sense that he has worked as a make-up and effects specialist for the horror film industry, and has also been involved with videos for bands like Tool, whom I am sure you will agree have produced some fucked up videos.

Through July 3rd, 2015, Last Rites Gallery is hosting Chet Zar’s latest exhibit, The Demon Show, which is a must-see for all fans of horror and dark pop surrealist art.

These are so great.

I think the guy on the left in the above photo is one of my favorites. I can imagine him in a movie.

If you are an art collector, or even just a wanna-be collector fan, who thinks you could never afford art this amazing, I am now going to tell you that you are incorrect. These paintings have a price point that is very accessible. While I am not sure if that bad ass tentacled-skull frame is included, even if that cost extra, it would be worth it. Maybe you would not want to hang one of these guys over your bed, but then again why not keep your dreamscape interesting?

Chet Zar’s The Demon Show will be on Exhibit Through July 3rd, 2015 at Last Rites Gallery, Located at 325 West 38th Street (Between 8th and 9th Aves) in NYC.

Arts and Culture

Pink Think of The Day: Elizabeth Taylor by Russell Young

May 21, 2015 rezpect 2 Comments

Photo By Gail

Russell Young (born March 13, 1959) is a British-American artist. In the late 1970s, while living in London, he gained recognition photographing the early live club shows of Bauhaus, R.E.M. and The Smiths. During this period he shot portraits of Morrissey, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, New Order, Diana Ross, and Paul Newman. In 1986, he shot the Faith sleeve for George Michael. In the following ten years he directed more than 100 music videos during the heyday of MTV.

In September 2000, while living in New York City, he began to concentrate on art and to devote himself to painting. Young is best known for his enamel, screen-print paintings on linen, which explore celebrity, rock and roll, death and history. His earliest notable works as an artist are his “Pig Portraits” – life-size Police mug shots of celebrities screened onto canvas. First shown in 2003, they proved a critical success and were exhibited in London and the United States.

Russell Young is represented by Taglialatella Galleries in NYC and you a can see a good selection of his large, glittery portraits any day, just by popping in during regular business hours. I took this shot of Young’s portrait depicting a stunning Liz Taylor at the opening reception for the launch of his new print of Jackie O. You miss so much when you don’t live in NYC.

Arts and Culture

Paul Insect, 2033: Original Works Created in 2014 at Allouche Gallery

December 18, 2014 rezpect 1 Comment

All Photos By Gail

Geoffrey and I were trying to figure out why the address of 115 Spring Street sounded so familiar, and yet neither one of us could recall having been to the Allouche Gallery, which resides at that address, prior to the Paul Insect exhibit, the opening reception of which we attended on Saturday night. Once we walked in the door, however, we recognized the space as having formerly been the home of Opera Gallery — which, who even knew that it had closed? Obviously, not us. RIP Opera Gallery. I do not miss you that much.

I like Paul Insect’s work a lot. To bring up a reference from Pop Culture, his unique portraits remind me a lot of the costumes and make-up designed, worn and made infamous by the late Leigh Bowery.

Hey, Free Wine!

And if you are going to reference another contemporary painter doing something similar, perhaps George Condo comes to mind as well, although I prefer Insect over Condo.

The exhibit’s press release simply states that “Paul Insect’s 2033, Original Works Created in 2014, features a series of striking new montage works on canvas and paper, projecting a world in which people want more, thrive to be the best and pretend to be who they are not.” I like that. Here are more of our favorites from the show.

This Diptych (above) and the trio (below) are a little bit different stylistically from the others.

This one has maybe a bit more of a collage feel to it. I love his use of bright colors.

This one reminds me of Me and Geoffrey when we go out looking at the Art.

Here is a bit more of an installation view. It really is a very nice space.

The Red in this is just remarkable, although it doesn’t translate in the photograph. It is one of my favorite pieces in the show for sure!

Go see this exhibit, because it is awesome.

Paul Insect, 2033 will be on Exhibit Through January 11th, 2015 at Allouche Gallery, Located at 115 Spring Street in Soho.

Arts and Culture

Andy Warhol, 1950s Drawings at Anton Kern

December 2, 2014 rezpect 1 Comment

All Photos By Gail

Don’t think for one second that I didn’t fully appreciate the fact that Anton Kern Gallery painted its walls Pepto Bismol Pink for its current exhibit of Andy Warhol Drawings. Because I did.

Andy Warhol: 1950s Drawings brings together 150 never before seen works on paper from the late 1940s through 1960. They show Warhol as a skilled draftsman and great experimenter. Using ink and graphite, he investigated the possibilities of the hand-drawn line, and in the course of this developed his characteristic blotted-line technique, which involved tracing projected photographic images onto paper and blotting the inked figures to create variations on a theme. This exhibition reveals a lesser-known side of Warhol and provides unique insight into the foundation of Pop Art.

Love is a Pie

If you only know Warhol through his most popular works such as the mass produced, silk screened Celebrity Portraits and Campbell’s Soup Cans, this exhibit will really show you where the artist came from and reveal how truly talented he was. I mean, the guy could draw a face.

This one reminds me of John Lennon.

You can see by the above photo that every wall is covered with drawings, so you could spend well over an hour here just looking at each one and finding your favorites.

I like this Peacock.

This one looks like Morrissey to me.

This one is so great.

The group of drawings currently on view was discovered in the flat files at the Andy Warhol Foundation’s warehouse space in 2011-2012, and marks the third exhibition by the American artist at the Anton Kern Gallery. Very highly recommended.

Andy Warhol 1950s Drawings will be on Exhibit Through December 20th, 2014 at Anton Kern gallery, Located at 532 West 20th Street, In the Chelsea Gallery District.

The Worley Gig

Tag Archives: Portraits

John Singer Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends at the Met, Closing October 4th!

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Preview: Russell Young’s Fame/Shame at Bertrand Delacroix Gallery, Reception September 17th

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Last Rites Gallery Presents Transfigure Group Show

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Last Rites Gallery Presents: Chet Zar’s The Demon Show

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Pink Think of The Day: Elizabeth Taylor by Russell Young

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Paul Insect, 2033: Original Works Created in 2014 at Allouche Gallery

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Andy Warhol, 1950s Drawings at Anton Kern

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