Figured Out
Sebastiaan Bremer, Amanda Keeley, Laura Mosquera, Ester Partegas
17 November – 16 December, 2000
Exhibition
Opening reception Friday November 17th, 6-8pm
Spencer Brownstone Gallery is pleased to announce a group exhibition of works by Ester Partegas, Amanda Keeley, Laura Mosquera, and Sebastiaan Bremer. Whether it is humorous, sympathetic or ironic, these artists portray unidentifiable individuals within highly recognizable groups. The title of the exhibition refers both to the human figure that appears in all these works as well as conjures up the idea of discovery and understanding. The show examines how labels, clothing, accessories and postures shape the perception of our psychology – a psychology that is now cultural rather than personal. In the works presented in the exhibition, clues are scattered throughout and enable the viewer to place these figures in a larger social context.
Ester Partegas's sculptures and drawings incorporate hi-tech paraphernalia and corporate logos. Ironically these accessories are presented in a larger scale and greater detail than the figures themselves thus, underlying the importance of materials in the contemporary consciousness. Similarly Laura Mosquera's clusters of young people in generic interiors explore the impersonal side of the materialistic society. In her work clothing either hides or defines the figure. Even though these people are seen in large groups and crowds, within shared spaces, they still remain detached from one another. The artist deliberately creates a paint by numbers type of painting with flat bright colors in order to heighten the discomfort of the viewer. The women in Amanda Keeley's drawings are lost on the background of large blank white sheets of paper. The figures are outlined with amazing simplicity. Yet, within the hollowed out figure, there remains all the information about her class, interests and lifestyle. Sebastiaan Bremer paints a decorative veil of white dots over his photographs. The screening effect blurs the recognizable features of the figures and guards their anonymity. The people under this veil are hidden and all that remains is their social backdrop.
Artist Bio
Participating artists:
Sebastiaan Bremer, Amanda Keeley, Laura Mosquera and Ester Partegas