Luisa Rabbia investigates human psyche at Midtown gallery show

The Peter Blum Gallery in midtown is presenting a collection of new works by Luisa Rabbia for an exhibition titled Drawing. For this show, Rabbia presents several drawings, paintings, sculptures, and other mixed media works where she delves into the depth of the human soul and investigates how individuals relate to others and how they respond to their surrounding environment. 

The color blue appears throughout many of Rabbia’s works, as it symbolizes the color of blood in the veins of the human vascular system. For instance, a series of works titled Worlds I and Worlds II respectively features a deep blue background and white pencil drawings of two heads on both halves of the image. Worlds I depicts the heads of two figures, one of them whose head is upside down on top, and directly on the flip side, on the bottom is another figure’s head. Both figures have what appears to be their hair tied in a bun that connects them. Similarly, Worlds II also features a flipside image of two figures connected by what appears to be their hair against a deep blue background.

"NorthSouthEastWest" (2014) by Luisa Rabbia

Rabbia also presents pieces where she draws outlines of faces on rocks that she’s found. One sculpture titled Sunrise features a face lying on its side, and another face with the eyes closed, gently kissing the cheek of the face lying on its side. A similar, untitled sculpture features a figure sleeping, the face, a very light blue, with the hand over the mouth.

A diptych titled Sottopelle and another untitled piece feature distorted faces connected by intertwining roots. The facial skin symbolizes exaggerated psychological states. Similarly, a four-panel drawing titled NorthSouthEastWest features a group of roots floating on a violet-colored oval shape. 

At Peter Blum Gallery, 20 W. 57th St., through Feb. 7. The gallery is open Tues.—Fri. from 10 a.m.—6 p.m., and Sat. from 11 a.m.—6 p.m.

Paintings reflecting Buddhist teachings on view at Soho gallery

The June Kelly Gallery in Soho is currently presenting a series of recent paintings by Su-Li Hung for the exhibition River, Tree, Buddha. As the title of the show suggests, Hung’s paintings revolve around the Buddha’s teachings and philosophies. 

Hung seeks to capture how important Buddhist practices can be, especially in turbulent times. The most striking work in the show is Golden Buddha which is an up-close portrait of the Buddha’s face conveying his wisdom and peaceful ways with the calmness in his eyes and his placid expression.

"Golden Buddha" (2014) by Su-Li Hung

Another notable work is Pink Cherry Tree which resembles a stained glass window where a bare tree is seen stretching out her many branches can be seen against a multi-colored background where pink is the dominant color. Similarly, Gingko Tree depicts a bare tree with scarcely thin branches against a gold background.

The trees in Hung’s paintings refer to a Bodhi tree under which the Buddha is believed to have sat under waiting for enlightenment in the sixth century B.C. She also illustrates the life cycle of the trees as it sheds its leaves in the fall and blooms its flowers again in the springtime. “The tree grows, leaves come, go, and return, evoking for me new inspiration with each season,” she says. Hung also illustrates the rivers as constantly, but calmly flowing day and night with works titled River.

At The June Kelly Gallery, 166 Mercer St., through Jan. 20th. The gallery is open Tues.—Sat. from 11 a.m.—6 p.m.

Satirical works by Francois Anton featured at Soho gallery

The Axelle Fine Arts Galerie in Soho is currently presenting a collection of works by Francois Anton for an exhibition titled Le Voyageur Immobile. For this show, Anton presents oil paintings that are humorous and satirical and are inspired by the stories and characters featured in newspaper comics where he juxtaposes the realities of adult life with the carefree spirit of childhood.

The characters seen in these works are middle-aged men bespectacled men very much resembling Anton, and therefore are very likely to represent his persona. One of the funniest works in the show titled Crazy Sheep illustrates a meadow where a middle-aged man is playing a game of leap frog by jumping over a sheep who appears to be laughing at the man. Another sheep can be seen far behind them staring at them in shock. L’oeuf ou la poule is a quirky, inquisitive, and amusing piece depicting a group of six businessmen gathered behind a desk where a chicken is standing in the center on a piece of fabric next to an egg. 

"Crazy Sheep" by Francois Anton

Three of the men in the front row stare at the chicken very curiously as though pondering the question What came first, the chicken or the egg? The three men in the back row are looking away, very intensely engaged in thought, and behind them is a series of writings and diagrams perhaps illustrating the complex thoughts going on in their heads.

Anton offers several paintings in this show that tell a story by being shown in sequential order. These include Historie sans parole depicting a man teaching his dog how to fetch, Le crac boum huuue! depicting a man playing with a jack-in-the-box toy, and Rencontre du troisiemme type depicting a man crossing paths with someone else driving an oddly shaped car.

Despite the playful nature of his works, there remains an element of bleak existentialism resembling the style of British painter, Francis Bacon. Anton’s works are witty observations on innocence, the modern world, and what it means to “grow up.”

At The Axelle Fine Arts Galerie, 472 West Broadway, through Dec. 31. The gallery is open from 10 a.m.—6 p.m. There will be a reception for the artist at the gallery Dec. 13 from 6—8 p.m.

Manhattan animal shelter needs your help this holiday season

These cold winter months can be brutal for many homeless animals, especially cats and kittens who often try to find warmth underneath parked vehicles. This may have very well been the case for Merry, a young kitten who arrived at the Bideawee animal shelter in Manhattan with multiple wounds and a seriously infected open fracture on her left front leg. If that isn’t bad enough, the Bideawee staff also found some gravel deeply embedded up to her armpit, leading them to believe that she may have been hit and them dragged underneath a car. Poor Merry had to be rushed into emergency surgery to amputate her leg, and will more than likely require additional surgery to heal wounds on her left hind leg. 

As the holiday season is all about giving to others and helping those in need, the staff at Bideawee will be truly grateful for donations this year to meet the expenses of caring for Merry, in addition to caring for the many cats and dogs who have nowhere to come home to yet. If you can find it in your heart to do so, please consider supporting the shelter to keep animals happy, safe, and warm this season. Bideawee, 410 East 38th St., (212) 532-6395. The shelter is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from Noon until 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

David Mollett's and Jessie Hedden's woodcuts and paintings at Chelsea gallery

The Bowery Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a joint exhibition works by David Mollett and Jessie Hedden of drawings, paintings, and woodcuts. For their fourth solo exhibition at the gallery both artists present works that capture their appreciation for nature. 

David Mollett’s part of the show consists of paintings and woodcuts illustrating the wilderness of Alaska. In one of his works titled Hulahula River Mountainside, he uses a fine mix of light and dark colors and different patterns to highlight the different shades of light setting on the mountains. A similar piece titled Sable Pass features bright green and some light orange colored hills that smoothly transition into the burgundy-colored mountains seen in the distance.

“Painted outdoors, these wilderness landscapes were created in the Alaska Range near Denali National Park and around the Fairbanks area. Volatile wet weather this past summer made for constantly changing light which created an opportunity for repeated reworking of each painting. The works in this exhibition are part of my ongoing quest for unified expression, space and light,” explains Mollett.

"Hulahula River Mountainside" (2004) by David Mollett

"Zigzag, Rhythmic Delight" (2014) by Jessie Hedden

Jessie Hedden’s part of the show consists of landscape and still life paintings and abstract collages. One notable mixed media collage titled Matthew’s Beach features several multi-colored square and rectangular cut outs, representing seashells that are all grouped together on a tan colored background, representing sand. 

One of Hedden’s notable still-life oil paintings titled Zigzag, Rhythmic Delight features a vase of flowers placed on a coffee table with a tablecloth with a colorful pattern of stripes and other intriguing designs that blends right in with the funky, zigzag pattern on the floor. On one side of the painting is a sky blue wall that serves a backdrop and compliments the pink flowers, while on the other side of the painting is a bookshelf.

“In these intensely colored works, the unique qualities of each form relates to the whole, contributing to a charged, overall space. “The challenge lies in "getting the gestural and rhythmic sequences of marks and colors to occupy the rectangle in a meaningful way,” explains Hedden.

David Mollett is an Associate Professor of Drawing, Painting and Printmaking at the University of Alaska and Jessie Hedden is a longtime adjunct professor there as well. They also own and operate the Well Street Art Company studios and art gallery space in Fairbanks, Alaska.

At The Bowery Gallery, 530 W. 25th St., through Dec. 20. The gallery is open Tues.—Sat. from 11 a.m.—6 p.m.