“OnEdge” at The Painting Center features ten contemporary painters who interpret the notion of ‘edge’ in their abstract paintings, conversing with mid-20th century abstraction sensibilities like Op Art and Washington Color, or early Mondrian. Patrick Burns, Anthony Falcetta, Astrid Fitzgerald, Lori Glavin, Celia Johnson, Julie Karabenick, Richard Keen, Scot Sinclair, Audrey Stone, and Jennifer Woolcock-Schwartz explore the tension between separation and union with color and line. In her curatorial note, Susan Post says that the shift between separation and union triggers the sensation of being ‘on edge’ – a prevalent state of mind at the moment. For instance, edges are key in Stone’s work – the edge between one color and the next is a line or boundary. “Double Pour”, which was created especially for the exhibit, is made of an 8×4 feet slab of sheetrock painted with gradients of KT Wall Covering. The painting stands on its bottom edge and leans against the wall, making it of the wall because of its material, and simultaneously a separate object. By utilizing tape as a tool, Stone creates hard edges but often when the paint bleeds, the edge is distorted. The strive for a ‘perfect’ surface is interrupted by ‘imperfection’, the visceral manifestation of a human hand in the process of creation. The artists in this show were selected from the Painting Center Art File, with the aim to highlight the gallery’s ongoing commitment to outreach the expanded community of artists beyond its current member roster.
Founded in 1993 by a group of artists who felt there was an urgent need for a space devoted entirely to the exhibition of painting, The Painting Center was first located at 52 Greene Street , inaugurating its exhibition space with a mega show featuring forty-nine artists including Jake Berthot, Louise Fishman, Bill Jensen, and Milton Resnick. In 2010 the Painting Center moved to a larger Main Gallery Space and a second space known as The Project Room in 547 West 27th Street . Now in its 24th year, The Painting Center has mounted over 600 exhibitions organized by guest curators and its curatorial program is central to its mission.
Main Gallery & Project Room: OnEdge
March 27, 2018 – April 21 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 29 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm