Profiles of Contemporary Art and - ARTisSpectrum

Gary Hong
Patricia Brintle
Brilliant tones infiltrate and illuminate even the darkest
spaces in Patricia Brintle’s bright, sensuous acrylic
paintings. The self-taught Haitian-American artist, born in Portau-Prince
and now based in New York City, paints in a style that
ranges from impressionistic landscapes to human figures that
evoke Cubism and Symbolism. Her floral and pastoral images
are filled with thick brushstrokes and generous quantities of
paint, adding sculptural dimensions to their verdant scenery. In
her portraits and figure paintings, Brintle applies her hues more
evenly and precisely, assembling compositions out of dramatic
geometric forms full of color and bordered by swooping lines
and distorted geographies. In both types of painting, she
deploys a stunning, bright palette and sharp sense of mystery.
Brintle cites the formative influence of the lush colors of her
childhood in the mountainous region north of Port-au-Prince,
manifested in dramatic tropical tones. Her subjects also reflect
the experience of displacement and memories made all the
more vivid by the passage of time. She portrays present day
scenes more loosely, the immediacy of the image transmitted
through gestures. Pieces that draw on everyday activities in
Haiti are more precisely executed, but also less detailed, with
a longing that acknowledges space for the nation’s recent loss
and sorrow. Patricia Brintle imbues even such difficult subjects
with optimistic, sensitive richness.
Midnight Acrylic & Glass on Canvas 24” x 18”
www.patriciabrintle.com
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Patricia_Brintle.aspx
Serene beauty and jarring violence literally collide in the
gripping works of Gary Hong, a Taiwanese-American
painter based in Los Angeles. Rooted in Chinese calligraphy
and landscape paintings, his compositions combine these
traditions with abstract expressionist influences and smashed
panes of glass. The layering effect of acrylic paints on canvas,
under glass, with some paints reaching the outer surface
through cracks and fractures, teases viewers’ depth perception.
Painted lines run parallel to those created by shattered glass;
pools of color gather at points of impact, adding new textures
to the original abstract compositions. Though Hong’s work
evades clear figurative interpretation, the volatility in his
canvases often suggests skies and seascapes, with areas of
sharp contrast evoking horizon lines and crashing waves.
All these tensions between layers, textures, gestures and
tones make for compelling diversity and astounding complexity
in each piece. Hong manipulates acrylics with great sensitivity
and a flair for mystery, his cloud-like formations occasionally
emitting unexpected bursts of color and sharp lines. The
careful application of paints in gentle gradients gives way to
the chance destruction of broken glass. This tension between
the planned and uncontrolled elements of Hong’s work gives
each piece a sharp edge, so to speak. Each fluid shift between
strong tones acquires new dimensions under forceful shards
of delicate glass.
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gary_Hong.aspx
Saisons Mango
Acrylic on Canvas
60” x 24”
83 ARTisSpectrum