Splash! at Porter / Contemporary NYC

Attraction by Anne Marchand, 36 x 36 In., acrylic and mixed media on canvas

Photo Courtesy the artist and Porter Contemporary

Splash!

October 27 - December 3, 2011
Opening Reception with the Artists: Thursday, October 27, 7 - 9 PM

New York, NY.  Porter Contemporary announce Splash!, a group exhibition of thirteen artists in various mediums focusing on color. The exhibition opens to the public with a wine reception on Thursday, October 27, from 7 - 9 PM when Porter Contemporary invites everyone to come in their most impressive colors and make their own splash! 
 
“Splash! is intended to be fun and exploratory as we head indoors in the winter months” says Owner/Director, Jessica L. Porter. “We have had some serious exhibitions over recent months and my hope was to lighten things up and talk about something as basic yet complex as color”.
From ancient Greek philosophers devising connotative meanings to different colors, to color theory principles found in Leonardo da Vince’s notebooks, and Isaac Newton’s theory of colors in the 18th century -- the energizing flow of light transcends time and continues to delight its viewers.  Amazingly, humans perceive over 2.8 million different hues. We invite you to let your eyes roam free following the emotionally stirring effects of our colorful show.

The exhibition focuses on thirteen artists’ ideas about color and how it manifests itself in the work. Porter Contemporary reached outside their normal repertoire of artists and held an open call to not only receive images for consideration but also artists’ thoughts on color. Artworks range in medium and include: photography, wood, watercolors, acrylics, oil, ceramics and other mixed medium items. Many of the works are abstract and dissect different subject matters that range from the middle-America cut outs by Lori Larusso to Aoife O’Donnell’s photographs of cancer cells.


About the Artists:
Born and raised in Lithuania, Antonas Adomaitis  was rejected from entering The Vilnius Art Academy at the age of 18 because he failed The History of The Communist Party of the USSR entrance exam. He uses color to lead the viewer through the maze of form as he reflects and studies the interplay between nature and psyche, to bring forth tradition, but carry it further into the realm of the unexpected
Jennie Barrese explores change and how in order to grow, we must first let go and leave behind certain things in order to survive.
Drawing from her painting and textile background, Tegan Brozyna’s current work focuses on the relationship of space or place and it is inspired by the way humans dissect, reconfigure and relate to our world as well as how the natural world interacts with and affects humanity.
Born in Russia, Sergey Dikovsky draws his inspiration from the world around him- words, sounds, places and images. Reluctant to paint due to colorblindness, Dikovsky worked in black and white for many years. Over time, his desire to paint in color overwhelmed his fear and now he follows his intuition to create colorful worlds.
Painting allows Daina Falk to indulge her strange obsession with doors and her enthusiasm for vibrant colors, strong, clean lines, and the vivid interplay of lights and darks.
A native of South Korea, Jihay Kang, uses iconic images associated with Western material culture to explore intersections of consumerism and authenticity.
Lori Larusso explores the unavoidable contradictions which exist in our personal and collective systems of belief by pointing to the complexity of individual situations. Very often, our ideals are a reflection of the way we wish things were, rather than a product of the way we actually experience them and she finds this conflict to be in direct connection to the representational image.
Andrew Maglathlin focuses on sculptures of ambiguous forms in order to provoke inner thoughts and feelings by stimulating unconscious emotions.
Fascinated by the emotional power of color, music and poetry to engage the senses, Anne Marchand explores universal currents and rhythms by layering paint, texture and words on canvas.
Bulgarian sculptor, Orfey Mindov is a teacher by trade and uses each object whether wood, metal or paint as a conduit to teach and emote, giving life through nature.
By exploring cultural messages through iconic signs and familiar patterns along with organic and inorganic imagery, Judith Mullen records moments of interaction and response to daily man–made stimuli as juxtaposed to the presence of the natural world around us.
Aoife O’Donnell seeks to locate connections between the arts and science through borrowed methods and collaborations. Working with a Professor of Biology in Dublin, the photographer uses microscopes to record images of cells, tissue, DNA and various other effluvia from her family and herself.
Roy Wiemann’s paintings are deeply personal emotional moments and memories; an abstract visual diary that is created and fueled by these powerful emotions which illicit a strong visceral response in the viewer.

Porter / Contemporary, 548 W. 28th Street, 3rd Floor, NYC
Gallery Hours:  Wednesday 11 - 6 PM; Thursday 11 - 8 PM; Friday and Saturday 11 - 6 PM
General inquiries: info@portercontemporary