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orderly for the repeated series of horizontal lines that primarily define it. On the other hand, the lines vary like so many stratums and create a deep sense of atmospheric space. In this she and Cora Cluett have a great deal in common as well as with the somber emotional temperature of both pieces. This painting reads strongly as a landscape but happily never quite gets there |
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Overall this exhibition provides a great survey of contemporary abstract painting. There is enough work of enough variety to discover all sorts of mini-exhibitions within the larger context. Given the variety of style and approach the inclusion of each is quite even handed. An easy criticism might be that the format of the paintings is too small to truly garner some impact. The show might easily be called The Big Abstract Show of Small Paintings. But as indicated earlier it had to be a decision of larger size or greater quantity. In this Denise Gale made the correct choice of included more - even to going beyond the typical parameter of one painting per each artist. This indicates that more thought was given to the comprehensive impact of this show then just simple democracy. You see it too where, despite the volume of work, each piece is nevertheless given plenty of breathing space between it and its neighbor. |
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The best work in this show is that which is not given to absolute definitions or easily pigeon-holed. Where various styles or aspects mix it up and cross-blend into different territories is where the work gets very interesting. Another success metric is how easily a painting reveals itself. Paintings that give themselves up too quickly and place less demands on the viewer also don�t hold up as well. Between the two general schools of approach mentioned earlier, orderliness versus gesture, the latter, more organic painting comes off as stronger in this show. Some of the more overtly patterned grid-driven work wanders too closely to pure design. |
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So, if this were a juried exhibition and we were the jury, the top 5 paintings in The Big Abstract Show would be Robert Aitchtson�s Untitled, Walter Shran�s Untitled, Lindsay Brown�s Untitled, Cora Cluett�s, As Yet Untitled For NDB and Betsey Weis�s, Tide (all those Untitled titles are a mere coincidence by the way - our preference is to actually have titles). It�s not a juried show of course and this is but one opinion. But the magnificent thing is that every viewer is subtly invited to participate in the same exercise. Denise Gale has given each viewer the potential to become a personal curator of this exhibition. |
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