Suzy Spence | Fading Landscape

SUZY SPENCE

01 APRIL — 08 MAY 2022

SUZY SPENCE FA DI NG L A N D SCA PE

TAYLOE PIGGOTT GALLERY

CLOUD GALLOP | Acrylic on canvas | 60 x 84 in | 2021

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FADING LANDSCAPE | Acrylic on canvas | 87 x 74 in | 2021

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ROYAL ASCOT (FLOWERS) | Flashe on paper on panel | 30 1/2 x 44 1/2 in | 2021

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PINK VEST | Flashe on paper on panel | 9 x 12 in | 2020 UNBUTTONED | Flashe on paper on panel | 9 x 12 in | 2020 8

FADING LANDSCAPE (DOUBLE PETER) | Acrylic on canvas | 65 x 77 in | 2021

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FADING LANDSCAPE (DODGE ROAD STUDY) | Flashe on paper | 22 x 30 in | 2021

BLUE HILL (BLUE CHASE) | Flashe on paper | 22 x 30 in | 2021

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PINK DRAG HUNT | Arcylic and flashe on linen | 48 x 42 in | 2022

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PINK FADE | Flashe on paper | 22 x 30 in | 2022

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WINTER PADDOCK| Arcylic and flashe on panel | 22 x 30 in | 2021

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(LEFT) CLOUDS (HORSE, RIDER, HOUND) | Flashe on paper | 9 x 12 in | 2021 (RIGHT) HORSE AND CLOUD | Flashe on paper | 9 x 12 in | 2021 22

FANTASIA | Oil on panel | 30 x 20 in | 2021

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ONE WOMAN WITH A HORSE | Oil on panel | 14 x 14 in | 2021

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RIDERS REVEL (BLACK) | Handmade silk-screened wallpaper | 25in x 30ft roll | 2022

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FA D I N G L A N D S C A P E

F a d i n g L a n d s c a p e , a n ex h ib i t i o n of p a in t in g s b y A m e r i c a n a r t i s t Su z y Sp e n c e , p r e s e n t s a r a n g e of w o r k c o m p l ete d o ve r t h e l a s t t w o ye a r s , f r o m n e a rm o n u m e n t a l - s c a l e l a n d s c a p e s o n c a nv a s to in t im a te w o r k s o n p a p e r a n d p a in te r l y p o r t r a i t u r e . A d di t i o n a ll y, t h e ex h ib i t i o n in t r o du c e s t h e a r t i s t ’s h a n d p r in te d , e qu e s t r i a n n e o -to il e w a llp a p e r, p r o du c e d t h i s ye a r in c o ll a b o r a t i o n w i t h h i s to r i c R e d D i s k St u di o s in B u f f a l o , N e w Yo r k .

P r e s e n te d in t w o r o o m s in t h e g a ll e r y ’s m a in s p a c e , t h e ex h ib i t i o n p r o b e s t h e h i s to r y of t h e d o m e s t i c s p a c e , a t h e m e r u n n in g t h r o u gh o u t Su z y Sp e n c e ’s w o r k , w i t h w il d , g a ll o p in g l a n d s c a p e s of fe r in g a w in d o w l o o k in g o u t- of- d o o r s . B ill o w in g c l o u d s p u f f o u t o ve r a g e s t u r a l , a lm o s t s a c c h a r in e b lu e - a n d - o c h r e l a n d s c a p e in C l o u d G a ll o p , a s t w o r i d e r s n e a r l y in di s t in gui s h a b l e f r o m t h e f i e l d of g o l d e n w il d f l o w e r s r a c e a c r o s s t h e ex p a n s e . B a c k in d o o r s , w i t h a n o d to e qu e s t r i a n p o r t r a i t u r e , a n o t h e r Sp e n c e m o t i f, R o y a l A s c o t ( f l o w e r s) i s e m b l a zo n e d w i t h a m a s s i ve f l o r a l h e a dp i e c e a n d g a u z y g o w n t h a t c o ul d fe e l e qu a ll y a t h o m e in a b a r o qu e m a s te r p i e c e (C h a r l e s l e B r u n ’s L o ui s X I V, e . g . ) o r o n t h e r u nw ay of a n A l ex a n d e r M c Q u e e n s h o w. Sp e n c e’s b r u s h s t r o ke s h ave t h e qui c k c o n f i d e n c e f i t t in g fo r su c h a j u x t a p o s i t i o n; N e w Yo r k s c h o o l , b u t m a ke i t h i s to r y.

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Sp e n c e h a s b e e n inve s t i g a t in g t h e t r o p e s a n d t r a di t i o n of t h e En gli s h h u n t in g s c e n e s in c e h e r r e s i d e n c y a t Sko w h e g a n in 1996 . T h e e a r l y n in e te e n - n in e t i e s m a r ke d a d a r k p e r i o d fo r p a in t in g in A m e r i c a n a r t ; p a in te r s w e r e l a r g e l y o u t r é , t h e t a s te w a s fo r s o c i a l c o m m e n t a r y a n d c o n c e p t u a l a r t . O r i gin a ll y, s h e s ay s , “ I w a s t r e a t in g i t a s a f a il e d p a in t in g , a s a c o nve r s a t i o n a b o u t c l a s s a n d t a s te . B u t t h e p a in t in g s t h e m s e l ve s w e r e k in d of b e a u t i f ul .” To d ay, s h e ’s a b a n d o n e d t h a t s e n s e of ir o ny. “ I ’m ve r y inve s te d in m y s ub j e c t m a t te r," s h e s ay s , “ I 'm o w n in g i t .”

I n o w n in g , eve n h o n o r in g , h e r s ub j e c t m a t te r, c e r t a in t h in g s h ave s h i f te d in h e r a r t i s t i c p r o c e s s . “ I ’ ve gi ve n m y s e l f t h e p e r m i s s i o n to w o r k m u c h f a s te r, a n d to f in i s h t h in g s in j u s t a c o up l e of s i t t in g s ,” s h e s ay s . “ Eve n a l a r g e p i e c e , a n d t h a t w a s s o m et h in g I ’ ve a l w ay s fe l t o b li g a te d to d o — to s p e n d m u c h t im e w i t h w o r k .

A n d I d o n ’ t fe e l t h a t w ay a ny m o r e . I of te n fe e l m y w o r k i s m u c h b e t te r i f I j u s t l et g o s o o n e r. T h a t ’s b e e n a b i g s h i f t fo r m e .”

“ T h e w o r k h a s b e c o m e m o r e l y r i c a l . I f I h a d u s e d t h a t w o r d te n o r t w e n t y ye a r s a g o to d e s c r ib e m y w o r k , I w o ul d h ave s a i d , ‘ W h a t a r e yo u d o in g , Su z y ? T h a t i s s o c h e e s y.’ B u t i t ’s r e a ll y t r u e . T h e w o r k fe e l s m o r e p o et i c a n d m o r e l y r i c a l .

I t ’s ve r y lib e r a t in g , b e c a u s e I s t a r te d w i t h t h e t r a di t i o n a l En gli s h h u n t s c e n e a s t h e b a s i s of t h e w o r k , a n d I ’ ve b e e n a b l e to l et g o of t h a t . I ’ ve h e l d o n in s o m e p l a c e s to t h e li t t l e s c r a p s , s o t h a t i t ’s p in n e d d o w n in p l a c e s to t h o s e t r o p e s

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f r o m t h e t r a di t i o n a l En gli s h h u n t in g s c e n e s , b u t I ’m r e a ll y m e s s in g w i t h t h e b o u n d a r i e s t h a t I s et up .”

T h o s e b o u n d a r i e s in c lu d e t h e w ay w e t h in k a b o u t a r t a n d a r t i s t ’s p r o j e c t s .

Sp e n c e’s w a llp a p e r, h a n dm a d e s ilk s c r e e n s b a s e d o n t h e a r t i s t ’s p a in t in g s , c a m e a b o u t fo ll o w in g a b r illi a n t ex h ib i t i o n a t t h e W h i t n ey M u s e u m in 2010 , C h a r l e s B u r c h f i e l d , c ur a te d b y R o b e r t G o b e r. B u r c h f i e l d h a d a s t in t a s a w a llp a p e r d e s i gn e r in B u f f a l o , N .Y. , a n d Sp e n c e l o ve d t h e w ay t h e p a p e r l o o ke d w i t h h i s w o r k . T h e m u s e u m w a ll s w e r e t r a n s fo r m e d in to a li v in g in te r i o r. Sh e w o r ke d w i t h t h e m o d e r n - d ay ve r s i o n of B u r c h f i e l d ’s c o m p a ny, w h i c h p r o du c e s a b e s p o ke , h a n dm a d e p r o du c t d o w n to t h e p a in t , w h i c h i s m i xe d l o c a ll y in B u f f a l o .

Sp e n c e i s t h e c h il d of N e w Yo r ke r s w h o m o ve d to M a in e in t h e 7 0 s . Sh e i s t h e d a u gh te r of p a in te r M a r c i a St r e m l a u , w h o to o k h e r d a u gh te r a l o n g w i t h h e r to s ketc h t h e M a in e l a n d s c a p e s . Sp e n c e i d e n t i f i e s s t y li s t i c a ll y w i t h t h e ve r n a c ul a r of M a in e a r t i s t s like M a r s d e n H a r t l ey, F a ir f i e l d Po r te r, A l ex K a t z , a n d L o i s D o d d . Sh e c o m p l ete d a r e s i d e n c y a t Sko w h e g a n , r e c e i ve d h e r B FA f r o m P a r s o n s S c h o o l of D e s i gn a n d h e r M FA a t t h e S c h o o l of V i su a l A r t s . Su z y Sp e n c e’s w o r k h a s b e e n c o ve r e d b y T h e N e w Yo r k T im e s , F r i e ze M a g a z in e , E s quir e M a g a z in e , P a p e r M a g a z in e , T h e N e w Yo r ke r, a n d T h e I n d e p e n d e n t . Sh e h a s r e c e i ve d fe ll o w s h ip s a n d a w a r d s f r o m t h e N e w Yo r k F o u n d a t i o n fo r t h e A r t s , Ve r m o n t St u di o C e n te r, a n d Sko w h e g a n S c h o o l of P a in t in g a n d S c ulp t u r e .

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Published on the occasion of the exhibition SUZY SPENCE | FADING LANDSCAPE 01 April - 08 May 2022 © 2022 All Rights Reserved

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