The Rotunda Gallery
Brooklyn, New York
January 15 — February 28, 2004
L-R: Alex O'Neal, painting; Marc Sapir, ink drawings; James Huang, sculptures.
A Slow Read demonstrates how artists play with the idea of time in the act of making work and invites viewers to participate through the process of visual “reading.” The wide range of work in the exhibition demonstrates how each artist’s process of discovery is mirrored by a similar process of discovery on the viewer’s part.
In this exhibition, reading art takes time. It does not merely require an act of looking but is instead a process of gathering information, reflecting and finally becoming open to a variety of possibilities. Time is critical for the viewer to experience each of these pieces fully. Likewise, time is a crucial element in making the work included in A Slow Read, both technically and in the artists’ decision–making processes.
L-R: Stephen Nguyen, painting; Carey Maxon. ink drawing; Leigh Tarentino, ink drawing.
This exhibition explores some of the many ways one can come to know a piece and how a work of art can affect the various experiences of viewing. These pieces have been chosen because they resist being “read” at first glance, moving beyond the immediate impression. Instead, they give the viewer an unexpected experience, sometimes unsettling or challenging, sometimes revelatory. In this way, the viewer becomes an active participant in an unfolding experience.
Elizabeth Fleming: photographs.
James Cullinane: hole-punched drawing.
Each of the 12 Brooklyn-based artists in this exhibition presents distinct challenges and opportunities for viewers to experience “reading” art. The pieces range from minimalist installations and intricate drawings to expressive large-scale painting, from photography and collage to sculpture. Some of the pieces challenge the viewer’s visual abilities with extremely subtle color shifts, while others may be overwhelming with density of color, composition, or narrative references. Finally, some of the work challenges us to re-–experience the physical space in which it exists. But the common thread is that seeing and experiencing unfold over time, rewarding the viewer with a message that is more about possibilities than about succinct answers.
Adam Henry: collages.
L-R: Carey Maxon, ink drawing; James Nelson, graphite drawings on rice paper.
“A Slow Read” features work by Hovey Brock, Gema Alava Crisostomo, James Cullinane, Elizabeth Fleming, Adam Henry, James Huang, Carey Maxon, James Nelson, Stephen B. Nguyen, Alex O’Neal, Marc Sapir, Leigh Tarentino.
--Katarina Wong, January 2004
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