JIMENA BECERRA
“The Tree of Life” Pastel and Charcoal on Paper 28″ x 22″
“ARTiculation of the MAXIMUS”
JIMENA BECERRA
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
“ I am trying to make art that relates to the deepest and most mythic concerns of human kind and I believe that, at this moment of history, feminism is humanism,” said Judy Chicago of her work. Colombian born, Florida based, Artist Jimena Becerra’s magical mix of human figures with nature reflects this desire to create art that concerns itself with the deepest myths of humanity. Calling to mind the nymphs of Ancient Greek Myth, Ms. Becerra’s pastel and charcoal works capture a transformative motion between being human and being part of the landscape, bridging the gaps by showing that it is a truly seamless transition between the two. Within the world of her work, human and nature are one in the same, demonstrating a deep connection with the earth that cannot be forgotten even within the modern age. Unique and deceptively complex, Jimena Becerra’s oeuvre of work demonstrates a deep love of both her subjects and the geometric principles that govern them. Using muted colors and clean lines, Ms. Becerra creates a fantastical realm in which people are a part of the trees and the trees themselves are people. There is a love of the human form that bleeds through here, curves and angles are lovingly rendered in equal measure, creating a fantastical realm where branches become fingers and faces blend into leaves. The dichotomy of man and nature is erased via the lens of Ms. Becerra’s focused line work, inventing a world that defies and exploits imagination, enticing the viewer even deeper into the labyrinthine trails set out by Jimena Becerra’s creative energy. “Metamorphosis” according to Jimena Becerra: “Is not more than a spectacular symbolism of an internal transformation and growth of my own life. In the same way butterflies grow out of caterpillars human beings suffer internal changes due to the circumstances surrounding us. We transform and grow internally to become better.” Her expansive vision of the world and its changes radiates with a deep, vibrant understanding of human nature. The desire to evolve and transcend becomes a central theme throughout Ms. Becerra’s body of work, eons of development found in every curve even as each figure returns to its “roots”. This unique, chthonic outlook on the world provides a safe space for humanity to explore itself within the confines of nature, rather than being separate from it. Resonating with strong motion and depth, Jimena Becerra’s body of work reflects a deep understanding of the place of humanity in nature as we continue to evolve. Celebrated across the Americas, Jimena Becerra’s tantalizing oeuvre profoundly puts forth multiple questions of existence that we must face and understand if we hope to continue to grow. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is Proud to highlight this Rising Star!
H. ALLEN BENOWITZ
“Black Light Dancers” Photography 30″ x 20″
H. ALLEN BENOWITZ “LIGHTS, VISION, PERCEPTION!”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Inspired by Alfred Stieglitz’s declaration, “For that is the power of the camera, seize the familiar and give it new meaning,” Brooklyn born, Florida based H. Allen Benowitz’s photography oeuvre reflects a personal vision that is extremely sensitive to the natural world, revealing a defined eye for aesthetic, balanced compositions ranging from the land to sea to sky which expresses the spirit of the environment. Intrigued by nature’s endurance and recurring cycle, his camera conjures a world that brings us closer to humankind, favoring the viewer with eternal landscapes with a contemporary perspective. His colored photography is more than just a way to record the world, he invites the viewer to transcend the various landscapes and emotionally relate to a powerful sense of the environment. Correlating the direct link between the world and human emotion, H. Allen Benowitz’s body of work becomes a powerful reminder of the importance of our universe, by embracing its sights, scenes and sounds and making them accessible to all. With his unique ability to use light and color to achieve ethereal clarity, this Florida artist captures fragments of eternity and freezes them to achieve illuminated visual contemplation. Successfully distilling a singular scene into a single moment in time, Mr. Benowitz achieves a delicate balance by probing an inner depth and a dynamic power of imagery, resulting in an emotive and aesthetically memorable scene. “My initial attraction to photography started as a child. I enjoyed taking candid shots of my friends. As an adult, reflecting on my childhood, I realized that I needed to capture these images as something to hold on to; these friends were my real family and the pattern has continued into adulthood,” says H. Allen Benowitz of his artistic journey. By creating a mood through powerful light and ingenious color, he communicates feelings about the natural terrain and Mr. Benowitz’s “third eye” celebrates the transparent patterns of nature and its reflective surface in the landscape. His lens relishes mother nature’s lush curves and fiery colors as he focuses on encapsulating nature’s essence- the deeply profound moments when there is a connection to a vital energy by allowing the emotional power of the landscape to filter through his camera’s lens The moment is translated to eternity and the result is a radiantly dramatic remembrance of an encounter with nature that transcends the everyday. Mr. Benowitz wishes that these sublime images evoke remembrances within the viewer’s own personal relationship with nature as he encapsulates nature’s spirit by transcribing its colors, shapes and rhythms by capturing its monumental visions. Whatever he photographs, he challenges the viewer by superseding style by creating each photographic landscape scene with imagination, respect, and unique lyricism. Sophisticated in execution and stunning in effect, H. Allen Benowitz’s photography encourages the viewer to connect into the world. His photographs catapulted him to national and international recognition to become one of the most celebrated photographers, gracing viewers with his award winning compositions. His international accolades include being showcased at the Louvre Museum, as well as being a featured artist in the Coral Gables Museum. Mr. Benowitz’s photography has been highlighted in multiple museums and galleries and The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is honored to shine the spotlight on this photographic master.
NICOLE COUDRAY
“Guerison” Oil on Canvas 28.73” x 28.73”
NICOLE COUDRAY “MAGNASCOPIC ARTospheres”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Paul Cezanne ruminated: “When the color achieves richness, the form attains its fullness also.” Inspired by this credo, Swiss Artist Nicole Coudray’s impassioned expressionistic abstracted nature paintings offer a non-verbal, visceral expression of the natural world and are an amalgam of the sensations of our universe. Capturing the ever flowing and changing essence of nature, Ms. Coudray transports the viewer to a unique, interpretative realm through her visceral employment of color, providing every canvas with a magical, dreamlike quality. With a kaleidoscopic palette, Ms. Coudray’s canvases are bathed in burnt rich red tones and intermingle with dusky golden light, transcribing a fascinating visual synergy of the natural world. The visceral employment of color creates a wholly unique and imaginative experience, providing every canvas with a magical, dreamlike quality and is a metaphor for the magnificence of nature. Presenting the two realities of nature- the invisible, spiritual world of nature along with the tangible, visible world of nature, Ms. Coudray’s paintings illustrate a fascinating visual syntax of how the two visions of nature can be successfully united. Spectrally sensational, Nicole Coudray’s illusory canvases are portals to an illusory natural realm and overflow with exciting energy. Inviting the viewer into a mystically rouge hued magical terrain, a tangible electric current runs through her art. Acclaimed for being a virtuoso colorist, Ms. Coudray’s expressive palette reverberates with the pulsation of color which unites her oeuvre offering a visual spiritual sensation of nature. The elements of color exist simultaneously with form as her color wheel outlines the extraterrestrial realm. Evocative, emotional and imbued with great visual energy, her modern vision of nature orchestrates luminescent gem-colored forms that vibrantly ascend the compositions. Investing each composition with incredible vitality and an irrepressible hued syncopation, Ms. Coudray’s kaleidoscopic compositions pulsate with gestural swaths of bold colors and brilliant plays of light. Tension and energy dominate her fiery and explosive canvases as her masterful color application electrifies the scenes she portrays. With a jewel tone color palette she captures the dynamism and evanescence of the universe. Cultivating a strong reputation in the international art world, Award-winning artist Nicole Coudray translates onto canvas the ephemeral moments of nature. This internationally acclaimed artist has participated in a lifetime of immersion in the arts, culminating in a wonderful body of work and her career has catapulted her into a meaningful position in the contemporary art arena. Ms. Coudray has enjoyed numerous successful exhibitions in Europe and the U.S., and the presence of her works in prestigious collections across the world, affirms her continually expanding celebrated reputation.
YOLANTA DESJARDINS
“Celebrations in New York” Oil on Canvas 20″ x 24″
YOLANTA DESJARDINS “MAGNASCOPIC ARTospheres”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Renoir declared, “An artist, under pain of oblivion, must have confidence in himself, and listen only to his real master: Nature.” Inspired by this philosophy, Contemporary Canadian artist Yolanta Desjardins transplants an opulent vision of nature into her spectrally hued floral and sumptuous still life oil canvases, celebrating the powerful abundance and energy of our world. Infusing her polychrome canvases with luminescent animate and inanimate subjects, this gifted artist visually transcends canvas boundaries with incandescent subjects found in the natural world. Through her distinctly expressive use of incandescent color, brushstrokes and all-over compositional style, Ms. Desjardins adroitly re-creates the tangible as well as the intangible essence of the natural world. By encapsulating the evanescent temporality of nature, Yolanta Desjardins’ art illuminates the dynamism of our intimate, treasured objects and correlates the direct link between nature and human emotion. Her subject matter is a visual reminder of the cornucopia of riches in our life as she reflects on the bounty of luxurious fruits and flora which richly emblematize the importance of the majesty of nature. Declaring the beauty and strength of our environment, her art underscores that nature is universal and can be experienced by everyone, and reminisces that the natural elements that are accessible to all. With her unique ability to use color to achieve ethereal clarity, she encapsulates fragments of eternity and freezes them to achieve illuminated visual contemplation. Successfully distilling a singular scene into a single moment in time, Ms. Desjardins achieves a delicate balance by probing an inner depth and a dynamic power of imagery, resulting in emotive and aesthetically memorable scenes. “The visual language which I have learned from the observation of Nature is dynamic, subtle, eloquent and elegant, like a mysterious invisible spirit, it invites me to look carefully, and discover secrets through my own developed visual vocabulary. I am a student of light which always humbles me,” says Yolanta Desjardins of her work. Inspired so thoroughly by the vitality of nature; Ms. Desjardins transfigures the essence of the external world as she inhales its beauty and exhales its joy. Painted with a master’s hand, her expressive brushwork interprets nature’s vibrancy as she captures multiple moments in time and symbolizes essential characteristics of the world by unearthing the timeless energy of our environment. Combining naturalism with expressionism, the viewer can almost inhale the sumptuous aroma of the flower’s opulent petals which bloom on the canvas. The award-winning artist Yolanta Desjardins has enjoyed numerous successes worldwide, exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States. Treasured in both public and private collections, Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to showcase the art of this contemporary master.
TAMARA GEDDES
“Coral’s Daughter” Oil on Canvas 16″ x 20″
TAMARA GEDDES “ARTiculation of the MAXIMUS”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
David Hockney declared, “Faces are the most interesting things we see; other people fascinate me, and the most interesting aspect of other people – the point where we go inside them – is the face. It tells all.” Russian born, US based, Contemporary painter Tamara Geddes uniquely portrays portraits from around the world to capture the multitude of individuals defining our multicultural world, harmoniously uniting physical and emotional characteristics to engender an exceptional portrayal of an individual soul. Defining traits are most prevalent through portraiture, with the face serving as the epicenter for visualizing cues to the inner depths of one’s multifaceted personality. At the heart of Ms. Geddes’s oeuvre is her ability to capture the hidden emotions, unseen attitudes and strong personalities of individuals from all walks of life, throughout the world and spanning various cultures and traditions. Her current series presents a cosmopolitan montage of our multifaceted world, painting people from different regions defined by various cultural traditions. Working in numerous mediums including pencil, watercolor, and charcoal to capture the national essence of distinct cosmopolitan regions; Ms. Geddes appropriately chose gestural mediums to document her explorations; loose strokes involving translucent paint or quick charcoal etches engenders an ethereal quality to these global snapshots, capturing effervescent beauty around the world. Our multicultural world becomes a tangible reality through Ms. Geddes’s artwork, allowing one to abridge distance in order to emotionally experience unmediated worldly interactions. “It does not matter whom I paint; I am so grateful and I want the world to know that I always find a beauty in a face I paint,” states Tamara Geddes. Her portraits convey the inner beauty of her subjects masterfully, underscoring her deep connection with each subject and her desire to let the viewer enjoy that level of beauty as well. The award-winning artist Tamara Geddes works and resides in Nevada. Her artwork is shown internationally, with group and solo exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States, and her art is treasured in both public and private collections around the world. Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to showcase the art of this wonderful contemporary artist.
SAMAH El HAGE
“Blending Universe” Acrylic on Canvas 28″ x 28″
SAMAH El HAGE “OPTIMUM of the ARTissimo”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Louise Nevelson declared, “Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.” The brilliantly compelling paintings by Samah El Hage captivate viewers with her unique artistic vision as she seeks to unmask the deep inner core of the human heart. Blending the fantastical with the real, this contemporary Master creates magical figurative and abstract mixed media artwork of charcoal and acrylic that articulates the essence of emotion and celebrates the human spirit. Channeling this fascination with the figure into dream-like human forms, Ms. El Hage fuses the fantastical with the real, and creates a sense of intrigue and fantasy which transcends the distractions of everyday life. Samah El Hage’s diverse oeuvre ranges from inspired abstract compositions to expressionist portraits, reflecting the diversity of life. Working in charcoal as well as acrylic, she is not limited to only one medium and style. In her non-representational series, Ms. El Hage skillfully applies her keen eye for shape and color combinations with the intent to allow the viewer to interpret her art independently of outside influences and to focus entirely on the elements of the painting. “My work is colorful as well as dark, shifting from feeling to feeling. I find my inspiration in my daily life where I pay attention to every single detail around me. Everything from cigarettes, shoes, hats, feelings, sadness in people’s eyes, a gesture to a face,” says Samah El Hage of her inspirations. Evocative, emotional and imbued with great visual energy, her figurative portraits combine expressionism as she exposes the complexity of her subjects allowing viewers to feel the tension hiding behind the subjects’ features. Bursting with visceral energy, no interpretation is right or wrong because the meaning is within the individual experience. Thus, the fundamental strength of Samah El Hage’s oeuvre is the ability for the viewer to connect intimately, both intellectually and emotionally, with her dazzling work. A native of Lebanon living in Sweden, Samah El Hage has exhibited nationally and internationally, and her paintings have been treasured in both private and corporate collections. Cultivating a strong reputation in the international world, the award-winning artist Ms. El Hage has participated in a lifetime of immersion in the arts, culminating in a wonderful body of work and a career which has catapulted her into a meaningful position in the contemporary art arena. She has enjoyed numerous successful exhibitions throughout Europe and the U.S., and the presence of her works in prestigious collections across the world affirms her continually expanding celebrated reputation.
ZOE ANN FISCHER
“One Way or Another” Oil on Canvas 18″ x 24″
ZOE ANN FISCHER “MAGNASCOPIC ARTospheres”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Following the credo of Henri Matisse who declared, “An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythm, by efforts that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language,” California artist Zoe Ann Fischer’s evanescent landscape paintings transcribe nature in her personal visual lexicon. Translating on canvas her unique artistic vision of the world, Ms. Fischer brilliantly colored expressionist dreamscape reveries illuminate the effervescent energies and fleeting dynamism of the natural realm. Through a spectral color palette, she invites a spiritual contemplation of the lusciousness of the natural terrain as she fuses the dazzling imagery of nature with the sensation and emotionality of powerful painterly expressions. Wishing to enshrine that which is beautiful, she freezes scenarios and offers a permanent remembrance of the temporality of the terrestrial kingdom. Through the transcendence of color, Ms. Fischer’s dream-like, majestic landscape images are visual metaphors for the bounty of the terrestrial kingdom. Celebrating the kaleidoscopic color patterns of nature and its reflective surface in the landscape, she rejoices in Mother Nature’s lush curves and impassioned colors. With unique imagination, this gifted artist’s oeuvre joyfully communicates the exuberant language of the landscape realm through undulating bursts of color. A myriad of rich expressive hues intersect on the canvas with a beautiful intermingling of hues which contribute to a feeling of tranquility and charm. By translating nature’s eternal grace, she adroitly encapsulates nature’s everlasting presence, and allows the emotional power of the landscape to filter into her canvases. Ms. Fischer challenges the viewer to treasure the wonders of the land and the result is a radiantly dramatic remembrance of an encounter with nature that transcends the everyday. Both modern and timeless, Ms. Fischer’s evanescent compositions provide beauty and inspiring concepts as she commemorates the splendor of nature and immortalizes the permanence of our natural world. Her arresting visceral vision encapsulates an idyllic, contemplative serenity where the presence of light and shadow radiate a divine visual poetry as the viewer is displaced from his contemporary setting and feels he is on the cusp of another timeless yet transitory otherworld. Conveying a message of hope and peace, Zoe Ann Fischer encourages us to inhale the beauty of nature and embrace its joie de vivre. Her oeuvre reminds us that nature is a source of sustenance and happiness, symbolizing the love for the world we all share. Encapsulating the verdant fertility and chthonic beauty of the environment, Zoe Ann Fischer’s expansive, elegant paintings revel in the natural beauty of the land and rejoice in its graceful energy. Sophistication in execution and stunning in effect, Zoe Ann Fischer’s landscape oeuvre encourages the viewer to connect into the world. Her body of work are gems of the landscape genre and have catapulted her to national and international recognition to become one of the U.S.’ most celebrated artists, gracing viewers with her compositions of sky, river, and earth.
ROBERT GILBERT
“Lion King Reigns” Oil on Canvas 36″ x 72″
ROBERT GILBERT “MAGNASCOPIC ARTospheres”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
“Architecture is my first love, if you want to talk about what moves me... the ordering of space, the visual pleasure, architecture’s power to construct our days and nights,” said Barbara Kruger of her inspiration. American Artist Robert Gilbert, as an architect himself, exemplifies this understanding of inspiration through his cityscape canvases, capturing the hustle and bustle of the New York City streets. The alternately muted and bright colors mixed with the architecture and atmosphere call to mind scenes from Bladerunner and Chinatown, making the city itself the central character and letting it stand tall. Mr. Gilbert understands and works with the overall feeling of the city, the rush of New York at night, in the rain, the way it never goes quiet or dark, always alive with the stories and breaths of hundreds of millions of people, underscoring how, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Through the lens of Robert Gilbert’s brush, New York is given a reinterpretation, a new dress for her to wear. Color and light work to create a fantasy that reflects the reality of it all, something that is idealized and yet still rings true to the actual city. The Empire City is a place that the world revolves around with over eight million people and eight hundred individual languages spoken there, Mr. Gilbert captures that vivaciousness, the raw power the city has. Every line and stroke works to promote the years of history built in the stone and metal, making one of the most recognizable cities in the world even more elevated, bringing it into a global view. “As an architect,” says Robert Gilbert, “I’m particularly taken with the monumentality of New York city’s buildings and the feeling of power they project, especially at night. Coupled with the vibrancy of the street crowded with people, pulsing with noise and surrounded by light the emotion is overwhelming. It’s this that drives many of my paintings.” With his deep and demonstrated love of the city and her architecture, Mr. Gilbert lovingly renders different scenes in an array of colors, showing us his vision of the city that never sleeps. As lively and bombastic as NYC herself, Robert Gilbert’s cityscape canvases exude life and painterly technique that captures the atmosphere and rush of being in the big city. Celebrated throughout the US, Robert Gilbert’s magical cityscapes have graced collections and galleries across the country and the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to be among them to shine a spotlight on this contemporary master.
LILIANA JACHADURIAN
“Lengua Con Chanco” Oil on Canvas 59″ x 59″
LILIANA JACHADURIAN “OPTIMUM of the ARTissimo”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Surrealist master Rene Magritte once mused, “Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist.” Contemporary Argentine artist Liliana Jachadurian’s oil on canvas creations are filled with emblematic imagery fully imbued with imaginatively fulfilling surreal figures that contemplate the heart, mind and soul of contemporary society. The artistic combination of strokes arouses, through color and attitude, the soul which freely expresses itself: now frantic, now calm. Liliana Jachadurian draws inspiration from the wonderful abyss of nature daily delighting her senses. Her labyrinthine oil on canvas creations are portals to a cerebral vision, inviting the audience to delve spiritually deeper into the essence of the soul, as fantasy opens doors to other worlds where anamorphic shapes and figures rule. Ms. Jachadurian’s surrealist compositions bar from the mind remembrance of our lived reality in order to present novel imagery never seen before by the naked eye. Her subject matter is nature transfigured through the unbridled depths of the unconscious, where the imagination reigns supreme and exhorts fantastical newfound imagery too entrancing to exist in our world. Ms. Jachadurian cumulates the animal and plant kingdoms and ameliorates their splendor through his opulent color palette, filled with cerulean blue, lemon yellow and sunset orange hues, all juxtaposing against her undulating figures’ darkened outlines to create vivacious energy pulsating from the canvas. In her execution exists a centrifugal force driving all figures to swirl and circumnavigate the peripheral boarders. This cyclical movement breaks canvas boundaries by symbolizing the cycles of nature, capturing life’s journey for eternity as a wonderful voyage filled with surreal fascination and intrigue. The award-winning artist Liliana Jachadurian works and resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Internationally exhibiting in group and solo exhibitions throughout Argentina, Brazil, Korea, France, as well as in the United States, her artwork is treasured in many public and private collections worldwide. Immersed in the world of painting, she has attended Master Jorge Demijian’s art workshop since 1982, thus discovering her universe of creative energy, developing a spontaneous, vibrant color palette with which to bring her vivacious visions to life. Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to showcase the artwork of this contemporary master.
JEFF MURRAY
“Where’s My Mind” Pen on Canvas 36″ x 24″
JEFF MURRAY “OPTIMUM of the ARTissimo”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Paul Klee stated, “A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.” Influenced by this statement is Contemporary British artist Jeff Murray’s masterful pen and ink drawings which invite his audience on a visual odyssey, transplanting them on an artistic journey to the various continents of the world. Inspired by his global travels, Mr. Murray’s drawing iconography embraces the various countries’ diverse artistic heritages and rich cultures and adds their fascinating elements to his skillful drawing repertoire. With an endless quest for discovery, he whisks the viewer away on a mystical journey with his pen drawings which reveal a jubilant world where his undulating line brings to life the artist’s love affair with pen, ink and the canvas. As he intricately and intimately captures the diversity of the countries or continents, fantasy and whimsy intermingle in his lines, revealing an intricate world replete with surreal illusions. Resonating with a poeticism of action, Mr. Murray’s spellbinding drawing incarnations offer an intoxicating sensorial perception to the viewer with fascinating characters as his pen magically reveals fantastical, rhythmic places, silhouettes figures and forms. His poetic visual lexis and imaginative eye guides his skilled pen strokes to develop allegorical transfigurations which offer optical narratives which are infused with symbolism. Scintillatingly drawn, each line holds within it an inherent hidden quality, coyly tempting the viewer into looking longer, to discover hidden details. Each stroke of the pen exudes loving attention to detail, thoroughly planned and spontaneous all at once, a certain amount of kinetic energy flowing through each composition, lending to the illusion of three-dimensionality. Mr. Murray’s photo-realist style captures motion and detail with amazing, artistic precision, speaking to the mastery of the artist as he crafts each line. Rendered in an exquisite style, Mr. Howard’s different drawings are filled with charismatic figures and shapes, capturing the attention of the viewer and refusing to let go even while teasing us with tantalizing textures. Bold and vivacious, Jeff Murray’s hyper-realistic drawings capture the essence of life in each stroke of the pen. Line is a fundamental foundation of rendering representational forms, and compositions stripped of ornamentation by reducing the subject matter to the purity of line yields art exceptionally generative of the imagination. Mr. Murray reduces compositions to the essence of art, the line, an adept strategy engendering elegant works leaving much for the imagination to enjoy. Committed to creativity and individuality, are visible metaphors reflecting this philosophy as they celebrate with elan and joie de vivre. Applauded for his unique artistic vision, Jeff Murray’s dramatic drawings emotionally speak to his audience with an invigorating freedom and a sweeping spiritual energy. Globally showcasing his art in both solo and group exhibitions around the world, Mr. Murray’s work is housed in many prestigious public and private collections. Wildly critically acclaimed, both in Europe and the U.S., Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to shine the spotlight on this international contemporary star!
JOSEPH O’NEILL
“Birds on the Beach” Photography
JOSEPH O’NEILL “LIGHTS, VISION, PERCEPTION!”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
John Berger declared, “Unlike any other visual image, a photograph is not a rendering, an imitation or an interpretation of its subject, but actually a trace of it. No painting or drawing, however naturalist, belongs to its subject in the way that a photograph does. ” Contemporary New York City photographer Joseph O’Neill captures the magic and mystique of the landscape through the lens, translating the landscape into a monochromatic image of itself, seen through a glass darkly. Mr. O’Neill’s hauntingly beautiful photographs range from the open spaces of New York City bridges to its deeply buried subways, giving us multiple visions of a city that sees just as well in the dark as in the light. Each photograph beautifully captures the essence of the city in all her majesty as seen through the unbiased intermediary of the camera. Intriguing and mysterious, Joseph O’Neill’s photographs call to mind the smoky rooms and streets of film noir, the cinematic dichotomy of light and shadow creating an environment that seems best suited to grizzled detectives in trench coats and their femme fatale love interests. It’s easy to imagine Humphrey Bogart staring out at the 59th street while his internal monologue plays over the scene underscored by smooth, musky jazz. The atmosphere is palpable, something think that permeates its way through each section of each photograph, pulling the viewer in further to explore shadowed corners and streets, looking for the little details in the darkness. A sense of dramatic energy fills each photograph, bringing Joseph O’Neill’s photographic oeuvre to the next level, creating a sense of suspense and wonder with each shot. The images are filled with obscured details, murky lines and crisp lights that allow for individual interpretations unlike most photographs which offer up the truth and nothing but the truth. Here, we as viewers are offered an obfuscated truth, something that we need to come to understand for ourselves. By presenting us with these gorgeous photos, draped in gossamer shadow and shimmering light, Mr. O’Neill is bringing us into a completely new interpretation of the environment around us, allowing us to gain a new perspective on the looming loveliness of the city and all her unexplored corners.
DAVID NOEL
“The Dancers” Acrylic on Canvas 40″ x 40″
DAVID NOEL “ARTiculation of the MAXIMUS”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
George Braque proclaimed: “You put a blob of yellow here, and another at the further edge of the canvas: straight away a rapport is established between them. Color acts in the way that music does.” British contemporary artist David Emmanuel Noel uses color in the way a seasoned maestro would use instruments, breathing fullness and life into every brushstroke. Mr. Noel’s jewel-toned palette disseminates movement and narrative into his figures, using the convention of hue to express more than simple detail. Beyond the bare bones of brush and paint lies classical talent toward proportion and form, inviting us to see each subject as a living, breathing thing within the entrenched environment of the canvas. A centralizing balance is prevalent throughout David Emmanuel Noel’s body of work, keeping each piece within a framework that imbues it with cultural meaning. “The purpose of my art through strong vibrant colors is to capture and provoke thought and a sense of the world through characters,” says Mr. Noel of his art, “ The purpose of my art through strong vibrant colors is to capture and provoke thought and a sense of the world through characters, landscapes and abstracts I paint. I paint. I am interested in some form of cultural representation, yet equally interested in the subjective aspect of painting in the application of paint and the balance of color, scale, line and movement.” His wide scope of interest creates a mélange of importance, giving the viewer far more to absorb in each painting than can be understood at just a glance, each canvas demands our full attention. Approaching his task in a measured, thoughtful manner, David Emmanuel Noel’s canvases bleed with deeper meaning and motion. Color and line work in concert to create kinetic force, a sense of movement that is hard to replicate and imbue upon two-dimensional imagery. The multi-colored works are each a self-contained world, creating their own rules and sense of gravity, asking the viewer to respond and learn something new with every glance, turning even the smallest look into an in-depth study. Rhyme and reason come together to build form and function, each color a note on a staff, representing a different part that needs the whole to work together. Profound and exuberant, David Emmanuel Noel’s kinetic canvases breathe with deep meaning and exemplify his painterly qualities as an artist. A noted community art activist in both London and New York, Mr. Noel’s works are collected and exhibited on both sides of the Atlantic, and his creativity is also cherished by the communities he works with extensively. Mr. Noel will donate a percentage of sales towards the notable charity CAMBA. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to shine the spotlight on this rising star.
JOLA WILK
“Carnival” Oil on Canvas 39″ x 39″
JOLA WILK “LIGHTS, VISION, PERCEPTION!”
AUGUST 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2015
Inspired by Matisse’s statement: “The chief function of color should be to serve expression,” virtuoso colorist Jola Wilk’s visceral abstract paintings dramatically invigorate the abstract genre with an opulently interactive and engaging polychromatic palette. Orchestrating a visual synthesis of dazzling expressionistic non-representational painting, Ms. Wilk energizes her canvases with an exciting chromatic syntax which narrates a powerful message. The signature hallmark of Ms. Wilk’s celebrated abstract expressionistic spectral art is the primacy of spirited, impassioned color which is powerfully undiluted and remarkably unfiltered. The vortex of her kaleidoscopic color wheel exuberantly recreates reality with a rhythmic energetic essence as she conjures a rich mood that is both abstract and visceral. Painting from her heart, Jola Wilk’s swirling galaxies of color canvases are inspired by Abstract expressionism. Color is the catalyst and central element of her oeuvre, as she successfully synthesizes electrifying color, form and emotion, which sweep through her canvases resulting in a cornucopia of mesmerizing aesthetic beauty. Boundless energy and vitalizing spirituality emblematize her art and her imprimatur of saturated spectrum of hues and luscious tones; metamorphose with an emotive nonrepresentational format. “I tend to recreate my life, my feelings, my experiences and my moods through my work and put all of my energy into the piece of art I work on,” says Jola Wilk of her inspirations. Reverberating with a visual invocation of emotions, her dazzling art reveals an instinctive and improvisational emphasis on color and composition. Articulating impassioned color into an abstract space, she awakens the subconscious which expresses an interior life filled with shapes, fantasy and color and reflects an adroit mastery of the abstract medium. Polish born-British based, this gifted artist articulates a visual language of emotion and expression and the impact is an aesthetic experience which is unique and brilliantly intriguing. Celebrated both abroad in Europe as well as in the U.S., her mesmerizing dazzling work has been exhibited throughout world and is treasured in both public and private collections. Amsterdam Whitney Gallery is proud to shine the spotlight on this Contemporary International Master.
AMSTERDAM WHITNEY International Fine Art, Inc. 511 West 25th Street, Chelsea New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-255-9050 Fax: 212-255-9020 www.AmsterdamWhitneyGallery.com AmsterdamWhitney@aol.com
AMSTERDAM WHITNEY GALLERY, 511 West 25th Street, Chelsea, New York City, is proud to showcase in its exhilarating AUGUST 28-OCTOBER 6, 2015 exhibition leading Contemporary Master Artists whose works explore the abstract, figurative and natural worlds, exalting the realm of the aesthetic through brilliant coloration and dazzling form. This specially curated exhibition and “Chelsea Roaring 1920’s ~ Great Gatsby” Gala Champagne Reception inaugurates the Opening of the Chelsea Fall Art Season and offers an exuberant visual synthesis of abstract, figurative, photographic, landscape and floral compositions which assiduously captures the senses of both art acquisitors and art aficionados alike with its scintillating regeneration of the visual realm. Pulsating with dynamic synergy and dazzling artistic creativity, these artists’ sophisticated, eclectic and joyful representations of the world shine the spotlight on a universal artistic language. Compelling, lively and emotive; the artworks resonate through the medium of our shared humanity by celebrating the human spirit and connecting with fundamental aspects of identity. ARTiculation of the MAXIMUS presents three global perspectives through the diverse talent of artists from Columbia, the U.S. and England who spectrally explore the universe through spontaneity, dynamism and the compelling juxtapositions of forms. Sensationally expressing the energy of the world, their brilliant gestural brushstrokes and huetopian color palettes express the excitement of journeys into newfound places. JIMENA BECERRA’S pastel and charcoal works capture a transformative motion between being human and being part of the landscape, bridging the gaps by showing that it is a truly seamless transition between the two. TAMARA GEDDES uniquely portrays portraits from around the world to capture the multitude of individuals defining our multicultural world, harmoniously uniting physical and emotional characteristics to engender an exceptional portrayal of an individual soul. DAVID NOEL’S jewel-toned palette disseminates movement and narrative into his figures, using the convention of hue to express more than simple detail. OPTIMUM of the ARTissimo captures moments of stasis; accentuating the poetry and tension hidden in painting and mixed media mediums by imbuing purely psychological subjects with a sense of reality and substance. With their unfailing eye, these works synthesize information ranging from reality and cross-referencing imagination, while creating a fragmented space that hovers between the possible and the impossible. SAMAH El HAGE creates magical figurative and abstract mixed media artwork of charcoal and acrylic that articulates the essence of emotion and celebrates the human spirit. LILIANA JACHADURIAN’S labyrinthine oil on canvas creations are portals to a cerebral vision, inviting the audience to delve spiritually deeper into the essence of the soul, as fantasy opens doors to other worlds where anamorphic shapes and figures rule. JEFF MURRAY whisks the viewer away on a mystical journey with his pen drawings which reveal a jubilant world where his undulating line brings to life the artist’s love affair with pen, ink and the canvas. MAGNASCOPIC ARTospheres explores the global legacy of world-wide topography as observed by four gifted international artists hailing from Switzerland, Canada, and the U.S. Their reverie of dream-like landscape paintings are infused with inventive narratives as they address intimate worlds of chromatic color along with textile brushstrokes. Suggesting both a physical and psychological landscape, their luminescent works convey both a
powerful physicality juxtaposed with a harmonious spirituality. NICOLE COUDRAY’S canvases are bathed in burnt rich red tones and intermingle with dusky golden light, transcribing a fascinating visual synergy of the natural world. YOLANTA DESJARDINS transplants an opulent vision of nature into her spectrally hued floral and sumptuous still life oil canvases, celebrating the powerful abundance and energy of our world. Through a spectral color palette, ZOE ANN FISCHER invites a spiritual contemplation of the lusciousness of the natural terrain as she fuses the dazzling imagery of nature with the sensation and emotionality of powerful painterly expressions. ROBERT GILBERT’S cityscape canvases exude life and painterly technique which captures the atmosphere and rush of being in the big city. LIGHTS, VISION, PERCEPTION! is a ground-breaking photography and abstract on canvas exhibition that references a plurality of international artists from the US and England whose camera lens and abstract oeuvre focuses on a self-created reality personified by individualized expression. Navigating the liminal space between observation and abstraction, these talented artists articulate the beauty and tension that results when reflecting worlds that exist both inside and outside of the self. H. ALLEN BENOWITZ’S photographic oeuvre reflects a personal vision that is extremely sensitive to the natural world, revealing a defined eye for aesthetic, balanced compositions ranging from the land to sea to sky which expresses the spirit of the environment. JOSEPH O’NEILL’S masterful black and white urban-industrial photography offers a monochrome arcade of life, encapsulating the aesthetics of a modern romantic and mirrors the irrepressible energy of the world as he celebrates the possibility of the unexpected in urban life. JOLA WILK’S visceral abstract paintings dramatically invigorate the abstract genre with an opulently interactive and engaging polychromatic palette.