I decided to walk from Williamsburg to the city to knock out a photo gig with no intention of seeing art in galleries on this day but I found myself doing so anyway. I needed to. All aspects of art I engage in, whether it be making it, viewing it or giving a workshop are essentially fuel for me. Simple conversation around art is more often than not a catalyst for a shift in vibration for C.
I entered Shrine on Broadway where the show Summer’s Edge by Michelle Paterok is currently on view and headed to the rear of the gallery to a set of stairs leading to GAA. I love that these two entities share a building. Walking down and turning a corner for a uniquely different art experience below the street is exciting. Out of the corner of my eye, the view of a painted bee reminded me I’d seen this artist’s work before. Just around a year previous I was introduced to Andrej Dúbravský for the first time. (I also met a wonderful furry friend upstairs at Shrine.)
His work is distinctive. Still new to it and unaware of his full catalog I’ve much more to see and to learn about him. I can honestly say part of my fascination with what I’ve witnessed thus far in his work is a clear interest in living and moving things like animals, plants and humans (as written in the show summary. Sometimes descriptor blurbs aren’t just art jargon word vomit.)
Articulation of one’s thoughts, opinions and experiences through visuals with various mediums will always be interesting to me.
Matisse’s Dance paintings come to mind, not in a way of comparison but specifically in the movement only this dance remains on the horizontal plane. There’s physical play of futbol imbued with playfulness. Dancing nude, carefree sans worry of judgement. Dancing together without concern. To say in the most cliche way, dancing like no one’s watching. A joyful impishness is present as if they're daring you to watch them play. We’re not embarrassed to be in the moment and neither should you by us being so.
"I needed the balls to do it, to challenge myself as a painter... There are the actual football balls, and also 'balls' as in the scrotum... And flesh, like human flesh in movemnet, but also the paint itself is like flesh for me... A flesh of thick paint." - Andrej Dúbravský
Go see this show in person if possible. Enjoy the colors, motion and strokes. Andrej Dúbravský is an incredible teller of tales without attempting to be.
So, how do you feel about the images of Andrej Dúbravský's I've shared in this blog? What comes to mind as you view and examine them?
