the O S n
houlders
of
Giants
MARCH 4-25, 2017
WESTBETH GALLERY · 55 BETHUNE ST, NEW YORK NY
This catalog was produced to accompany the exhibition:
On the Shoulders of Giants March 4-25, 2017 Westbeth Gallery
55 Bethune Street New York, New York 10014 212-691-1503 ¡ www.westbeth.org Hours: Wed-Sun 1-6pm
the O S n
houlders
of
Giants
Curated by Thaddeus Radell
Lennart Anderson Alix Bailey Donald Beal Rosemarie Beck Leland Bell Chuck Bowdish John Bradford Gandy Brodie Petey Brown Caren Canier Nicholas Carone Simon Carr Rob Dutoit Bruce Gagnier Marianne Gagnier John Goodrich Xico Greenwald Peter Heinemann Jock Ireland Al Kresch Mark LaRiviere John Lees Avner Levinson Stanley Lewis Ying Li Ro Lohin Lynette Lombard Younghee Choi Martin Louisa Matthiasdottir Jan MĂźller David Paulson Langdon Quin Thaddeus Radell Paul Resika Peter Ruta Dov Talpaz
MARCH 4-25, 2017
Westbeth Gallery New York City
O
n the Shoulders of Giants presents a selection of contempo-
rary painters and sculptors of the human figure, many of whom served as the teachers or mentors of other artists in the exhibition. The range of works reflects both a continuum of purposes and the way these necessarily evolve according to individual situations and temperaments. Embracing many diverse and contradictory approaches, the figurative tradition has remained a central subject for painting, drawing and sculpture even when challenged by the rise of abstract and conceptual
art. In this exhibition the works are propelled by a strong sense of the figure, a vision of the human body not illustrated through formulaic pre-conceptions but forged in art’s inherent language of structuring space. Born in a highly personalized and charged process, the form of the figure becomes inseparable from the language itself, whether a pre-imagined gesture is realized through the process, or the figuration is “discovered” during a more subconscious act of manipulating materials. What matters to the artists in this exhibition is the focus on the birth of living figurative form through the language of art. —Thaddeus Radell
Lennart Anderson
Portrait of Richard Serrin
1953, oil on canvas, 30 x 22 in. Estate of Lennart Anderson
Alix Bailey
Natasha Seated
2016, oil on linen, 56 x 40 in.
Donald Beal Muskrat Man
2012, oil on panel, 14 x 11 in. Private collection
Rosemarie Beck Untitled
n.d., oil on linen, 14 x 18 in. Private collection
Chuck Bowdish
Head, Orange Background
n.d., oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in. Courtesy of Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects
Leland Bell Self Portrait
1979, oil on canvas, 52 x 37 in. Courtesy of Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects
John Bradford
Expulsion of Hagar
2016, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in.
Gandy Brodie Self Portrait
1955, oil on canvas, 30â…› x 24 in. Courtesy Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects
Petey Brown Under
2015-16, oil on linen, 30 x 24 in.
Caren Canier
Nadelman in His Studio I
2012, mixed media/matte acrylic on panel, 22 x 30 in.
Nicholas Carone
Portrait of a Young Lady
ca. 2007, oil on canvas, 19½ x 14½ in. Private collection
Simon Carr Dog Walker
2017, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 in.
Rob Dutoit
Figure in Light
2014, oil on canvasboard, 12 x 9 in.
Bruce Gagnier
B.K. (artist’s proof)
2017, hydrocal and FGR, 64 x 20 x 20 in.
Marianne Gagnier
Woman with Red Fish
2016, acrylic on canvas, 26 x 22 in.
John Goodrich Mailbox
2011-14, oil on board, 24 x 36 in.
Xico Greenwald Figure
2016, plaster, 27 x 19 x 14½ in.
Peter Heinemann Self Portrait
1980, oil on canvas, 22 x 18 in. Private collection
Jock Ireland
Natalie’s Titian (Diana and Callisto)
2017, painted plaster, 27 x 26½ x 8½ in.
Al Kresch
Sleeping Man and House
2007, oil and acrylic on panel, 11½ x 16½ in.
Mark LaRiviere
Large Man, Heroic Figure
2014, painted hydrocal, 60 x 24 x 19 in.
John Lees
Into the Park
2008-2015, oil on canvas, 21 x 14¾ in. Courtesy of Betty Cuningham Gallery
Avner Levinson Figure
2006, hydrocal, 16½ x 7 x 7 in.
Stanley Lewis
Couple in a Park
2015, oil on paper, 19 x 20 in. Courtesy of Betty Cuningham Gallery
Ying Li Padma
2016, oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in.
Ro Lohin
Portrait of K
2015, oil on canvas, 14 x 10½ in.
Lynette Lombard Heavy with Sleep
2015-17, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in.
Younghee Choi Martin Untitled
2017, oil on linen, 30 x 34 in.
Louisa Matthiasdottir Horses and Rider
1984, oil on canvas, 10 x 39 in. Courtesy of Bookstein Projects, NYC
Jan Müller
Untitled (Two White Figures on Mosaic Ground)
ca. 1953-54, oil on wood mounted on wood shingle, 12¾ x 12¼ in. Courtesy of Bookstein Projects, NYC
David Paulson Battlescene
2008, oil on board, 24 x 36 in.
Langdon Quin
Queen Mab Decides/Queen Mab Relents 2016, oil on canvas (diptych), 36 x 48 in.
Thaddeus Radell Lear
2016-17, oil and wax on panel, 48 x 38 in.
Paul Resika
The Leaving of Moses
2012, oil on canvas, 51 x 38 in. Courtesy of Bookstein Projects, NYC
Dov Talpaz
Consoling Memory
2014-16, oil on wood, 28 x 40 in.
Peter Ruta
Woman at the Window
1954, oil on linen, 22 x 18 in.
Many thanks to Lori Bookstein, Betty Cuningham, Steven Harvey, Paul Resika and the estate of Lennart Anderson for the loan of works to this exhibition. Special thanks also to Marianne Gagnier and David Paulson whose invaluable assistance made this exhibition possible. Catalog design/photography: John Goodrich