Artists embark on journey of self-discovery at Chelsea group show

The Thomas Erben Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a group show featuring work by artists, Yevgeniya Baras, Carolin Eidner, and Adelhyd van Bender. Although each artist works with vastly different media, their works all revolve around the idea of embarking on a journey of self-discovery while hinting at elements of mystery.

For instance, Carolin Eidner presents several installations, sculptures, and watercolor paintings such as those from her Morning Glory series. One painting from her Morning Glory series illustrates a puppy coming out of a multi-colored vase, while another one illustrates a giant finger with a bright pink nail surround by bright brushstrokes. One of Eidner’s intriguing installations is titled Somewhere in Between I Have a Name resembles a hammock with a white sheet with a face painted in the center that’s shaped like a pomegranate; freckles are spread across with blue eyes above and plump, red lips below.

Untitled (2014) by Yevgeniya Baras

Yevgeniya Baras combines geology and physiology; she offers several paintings with rough textures caused by her thick applications of paint upon canvasses, which she has constructed through carving, embroidering, and collage. Baras’s paintings have taken several years to complete and she uses numerous abstract symbols. One of her paintings includes a thin, pink X stretching across it with small white “U” or “V” shaped designs falling down like raindrops. In another one of her paintings, she depicts the moon against the dark, night sky with a small hole below shining its bright light as though trying to pull the moon toward it.

Adelhyd van Bender’s works are being presented posthumously. Bender passed away last year and his relatives discovered binders full of paintings and esoteric drawings covering the walls of his Berlin apartment. He was born in 1950 as Harald Bender in Bruchsal, Germany, and throughout his life and career, he drew, collaged, and hand-colored several Xeroxed pages with bright colors and various geometric shapes and symbols that seem unfinished creating an enigmatic effect.

At the Thomas Erben Gallery, 526 W. 26th St. through Jul. 20. The gallery is open Tues.—Sat. from 10 a.m.—6 p.m.

Butterflies symbolize personal growth in Stephanie Hirsch's latest show

The Lyons Wier Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a collection of work by Stephanie Hirsch for an exhibition titled Awakening. For her third solo show at the gallery, Hirsch offers several works on canvases in the shape of butterflies that represent personal transformation. 

The butterfly is a creature that symbolizes the idea of being reborn as a better person, someone who’s gained strength and wisdom through surviving life’s challenges both big and small, and Hirsch’s creations reflect her own personal story. Her butterflies vary in size with each one having its own personality illustrate through different designs. 

These include a couple of large ones such as Awaken Floral which has white, magenta, and light pink roses against a black background, and one titled Your Life is Unfolding According to the Divine Plan, which has a sky blue background with small red, yellow, and white flowers seen on the edges of its wings.

 

Patience is Power (2015) by Stephanie Hirsch

Some of the smaller butterflies hang on a separate wall displaying various colors shown in gradient style and inspiring words of wisdom embedded in the center such as Patience is Power, Life Takes Time, Evolve, Let Go, Surrender to Your Soul, and Trust the Universe.

Another intriguing work in this show include Duality which is a black and white butterfly presented on a black wall in the gallery representing how the two colors contradict but also compliment each other. One particular piece in this show that stands out titled Once You Become Fearless, consists of white and silver beads and embroidery with butterfly designs on them, presented on a surfboard to convey the notion of moving forward in life and taking chances.

At Lyons Wier Gallery, 542 W. 24th St., through Jul. 3. The gallery is open Tues.—Sat. from 11 a.m.—6 p.m.

Eric Roux-Fontaine bridges the gap between fantasy and reality in latest show

The Axelle Fine Arts Galerie in Soho is currently presenting a collection of work by Eric Roux-Fontaine for an exhibition titled Jardins Secrets (“Secret Gardens”). For his third solo show at the gallery, Roux-Fontaine presents several ethereal paintings that smoothly blend the thin line between fantasy and reality that have been inspired by personal dreams, memories, and experiences that the artist has had in certain places. 

For instance, the image Around Midnight’s Garden illustrates a man walking through a wooded area as he pulls a hose across a body of water, with a small cabin that can be seen in the background. Another aesthetically pleasing image titled Atuona includes warm shades of orange yellow to illustrate the light in the sky shining over a land of tall, skinny trees and a lake where a deer and some birds can be seen by the edge.

Roux-Fontaine effectively captures notions of joy and innocence with works such as Solstice and Mermaid Avenue that feature amusement park rides like ferris wheels and swings very likely inspired by nostalgic, childhood memories. Other works that reflect carefree ideals include Goya’s Dream and An Ordinary Man that both illustrate a man falling from the sky on a warm summer night with his arms and legs spread out as though he were flying freely in the wide, open space.

Aven pach mende (2015) by Eric Roux-Fontaine

The notion of light emerging from darkness is effectively illustrated in Aven pach mende where a group of trees in a forest make way for a path of water that leads to a white tent set up out in the distance. The image is dark all around with the clusters of leaves formed by the tree branches and a group of black birds flying on the left, but a ray of light shines very brightly in the middle right where the tent is, which most likely represents where a special event took place, possibly a wedding ceremony.

Roux-Fontaine also offers a series of paintings set in or reflecting the moon and outer space. These include Moon Walk featuring a boy walking with his hands on the moon’s surface, Moon Dog featuring a dog running across the moon, or So Faraway So Close that features a girl standing on the moon, holding an umbrella and looking through a telescope. 

Another piece titled La voce della luna (the voice beyond the moon) includes theatrical elements as the moon is seen in the center of a stage of a theater and several birds flying from the balcony seats eager to make an exciting journey exploring the unknown. A similar image titled Fitzcarraldo also depicts a stage with the curtains revealing trees and sunlight that birds flock to from the balcony into the natural world.

At The Axelle Fine Arts Galerie, 472 West Broadway, through Jun. 28. The gallery is open from 10 a.m.—7 p.m.

Igael Shemtov's Photo Albums of Israel on view at Chelsea gallery

The Andrea Meislin Gallery is currently presenting a collection of photographs by Igael Shemtov for a show titled The Photo Album 1979-1980. As the title of the show indicates, the photos were taken between the years 1979 and 1980 while Shemtov was working as a quality controller at a Kodak lab in Israel. Shemtov captured various events and objects that he encountered throughout his daily life and often focused on instances of families spending time together and how the lower middle class lived, which became major themes throughout his work.

One intriguing photograph titled Volume 1 #45 was taken on an empty beach in the summertime. The subject is an amusement park ride or play area for children resembling a whale. It’s composed of an upside down boat where the seat, representing the creature’s mouth is held up by sticks that represent the teeth. Several holes can be seen coming out from the sides representing eyes and air holes including three that are grouped together revealing multicolored slides leading to the ground. The lower half of its body is covered with a coating with a colorful, triangular pattern as a ladder can be seen leading up to a curved slide that represents the tail.

Photo Album Volume 1 #45 by Igael Shemtov

 One image that illustrates domestic life titled Volume II #78 is set in someone’s cluttered kitchen where pots, pans, buckets, soap dispensers and coffee makers are scattered throughout the counter. Above the sink is a rack displaying neatly aligned glasses and small bottles, and directly above that are the kitchen cabinets with three sliding doors, one of which is open revealing cups, dishes, and other small items.

Companionship and love are effectively captured in Volume I #43 where a man and a woman are relaxing together side by side on the bright green grass in the summertime. In the bottom, left-hand corner, Shemtov’s shadow can be seen capturing the couple in their moment of happiness.

Igael Shemtov was born in Israel and lives in Binyamina. Since 1979, he has taught at the Photography, Video, and Computer Imaging Department at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. In addition to his photography, his role as an educator became an important part of his career and has been a major influence upon several generations of Israeli photographers.

 At the Andrea Meislin Gallery, 534 W. 24th St., through Jun. 27. The gallery is open Tues.—Sat. from 10 a.m.—6 p.m.

Sophia Narrett's series of embroideries tell intricate love story

The Arts + Leisure project space in East Harlem is currently presenting a collection of work by Sophia Narrett for a show titled This Meant Nothing. For her first solo show in New York City, Narrett offers four embroidered paintings that revolve around themes of longing for love and sexuality as well as longing for more material things such as luxury, fashion, and beauty. These four works of art tell a story based on Narrett’s real-life experiences and the relationship between Lauren Morelli, the writer of the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black, and Samira Wiley, an actress on the show.

The first painting titled The Rose Ceremony illustrates a scene from the reality television series The Bachelor on which Narrett was once a contestant. The scene depicts several people gathered for a special event held in an outdoor garden at which Wiley and Morelli are both present. Several people can be seen standing in a row facing the center of the room where Samira can be seen wearing a bright yellow dress holding Lauren’s hand pulling her forward as Lauren turns her body away pulling Samira back.

Stars Align (2014, embroidery thread on fabric)

The next painting titled Stars Align features Samira and Lauren as though they were Adam and Eve walking through a place very much resembling the Garden of Eden, trying to navigate their way through new, unexplored territory that’s like an Earthly paradise. The two women are surrounded by colorful wildflowers and several men and women at various different spots, many of who are engaged in sexual activity.

About her work, Narrett has said, “My images are driven by an effort to make exactly what I want to see and to express an honest fantasy. Through the creation of stylized fictional situations, I imagine stories of embodiment, beauty, eroticism, personality, fear, and resignation within a collapsing fantasy. The decadence of the images, in their content as well as their construction, becomes a futile yet desperately desired condition of escape.”

Sophia Narrett studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design before receiving her B.A. in Visual arts from Brown University. Her work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the country and around the world.

At Arts + Leisure, 1571 Lexington Ave. (between 100th and 101st streets), through Jun. 28. The space is open Wed.—Sun. from 11 a.m.—6 p.m., or by appointment.