Insider’s Edition: Art events not to miss!

Installation image of Mahreen Zuberi: Exercising the Border

Insider’s Edition: Art events not to miss!

Compiled by Avalon Ashley Bellos

 

Mahreen Zuberi

Feb. 1 at Anita Rogers Gallery (494 Greenwich St., Ground Floor)

Check out a body of post-modern and contemporary work from Pakistani artist Mahreen Zuberi.

 

Justin Cloud

Feb. 2 at George Segal Gallery (1 Normal Ave.)

Check out work from this newcomer to the art scene.

 

Fer Da Silva: Love is Inside

Feb. 3 at DTR Modern Gallery (458 W. Broadway)

Kick off this Valentine’s Day with a Solo Exhibition of Venezuelan/Portuguese abstract expressionist Fer Da Silva.

View More on AMNY The Villager

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Mandy Vahabzadeh Exhibition at Leica Geneva

Mandy Vahabzadeh is exhibiting a solo exhibition of black and white photographs at Leica Geneva through January 17, 2023.

From Leica (FR):

Photographier, toujours en argentique et de manière bienveillante, des femmes et des hommes à travers le monde. Voilà l’ambition de Mandy Vahabzadeh, qui réussit à allier habilement sensibilité et esthétique. Une exposition organisée à Genève rend hommage à son travail.

Inde. Vietnam. Indonésie. Laos. Japon. Sri Lanka. Depuis plus de trois décennies déjà, Mandy Vahabzadeh parcourt l’Asie notamment, en compagnie de ses fidèles appareils photographiques, des Leica M. Cette photographe professionnelle américano-suisse se concentre sur la pratique du portrait, jamais volés ni posés, prenant tout le temps nécessaire à traduire en image les personnages et les scènes qui retiennent son attention.

« Lorsqu’une personne est présente devant un appareil photo, gracieuse, le regard direct, sans la moindre trace de conscience de soi, c’est un cadeau pour le photographe qui disparaît alors. Un portrait, c’est une invitation à entrer en relation avec le spectateur. Avec la magie de la lumière, il devient alors poésie en noir et blanc », explique-t-elle.

C’est lors de son premier voyage en Inde – au Ladakh, en 1979 – qu’elle éprouve un choc, à la fois émotionnel et esthétique. « J’ai eu un véritable coup de foudre pour ce pays et pour son peuple », précise-t-elle. Si jusque-là elle photographiait en couleurs, le monochrome s’impose désormais à elle: à ses yeux, cette approche permet d’aller à l’essentiel.

Patiente et perfectionniste à la fois, Mandy Vahabzadeh sait parfaitement que, pour réunir les ingrédients essentiels d’une photographie réussie, il ne faut pas compter son temps. Faire des repérages minutieux. Et attendre le moment opportun. « En Asie, la population foisonnante impose au photographe son propre tempo. Il lui faut observer longuement son sujet, avant de savoir déclencher au meilleur instant, lorsque le triptyque personnage-composition-lumière s’avère idéal. »

En témoignent les magnifiques images présentées au Leica Store Genève dès le 15 décembre. Chacune d’elles montre à quel point la photographe établie à New York parvient à s’immerger dans l’environnement de ses sujets. Même de nuit, lorsque les conditions de lumière imposent une vitesse lente, un diaphragme grand ouvert, et que le contexte impose de la retenue. Comme sur cette image empreinte de sérénité où une femme prie debout, durant le Divali, la fête des lumières, les pieds dans le Gange, à côté d’une vendeuse de diya, ces lampes à huile traditionnelles.

Dans ce type de contexte, les Leica M s’avèrent de précieux alliés. La photographe utilise des M6 et M7 sur lesquels elle monte des objectifs de 50 et 75mm, ses longueurs focales préférées, et occasionnellement des 35 et 90mm. « Au début des années 80, je me suis tournée vers Leica en acquérant un M2, puis un M6 début 90. La raison s’avère très simple: la marque de Wetzlar constitue une référence indiscutable en matière de photographie plein format. Sans parler de l’esthétique de leurs produits, tout simplement unique. »

Mandy Vahabzadeh a d’ailleurs réservé un exemplaire du dernier Leica M6 – fidèle au modèle original sorti en 1984 – dès l’annonce de sa sortie. On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne!

Exposition au Leica Store Genève (Place de Saint-Gervais 1) dès le 15 décembre.

Biographie

Mandy Vahabzadeh est une photographe professionnelle américano-suisse, d’origine perse, résidant à New York depuis 1976. Elle a fréquenté le Pratt Institute, l’université de Columbia et la Parsons School of Design. Ses photographies – exposées à New York, Aspen, Santa Monica et Atlanta – ont donné lieu à la publication de deux ouvrages, Soul Unsold (Graystone Books, 1992) et un livre d’artiste (Small Editions, 2016), limité à 15 exemplaires.

 

View More on Leica’s Website (FR)

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Anita Rogers Juries NFT Design Awards

Launched in 2022, NFTDA is an international NFT design and development award platform that honors and showcases solo creators, studios and teams for innovation in the NFT design field.

NFTDA works with an international panel of expert judges. Winners are rewarded with official certificates, mentions in media and large industry newsletters along with thousands of daily visitors.

View more or submit your NFT project for review.

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Elizabeth Thompson Judges MIXMASTER @ The MATT

MIXMASTER is an exhibition that seeks to discover and recognize the talents of its artist members working in New England and the Tri-State region. Initiated to support and recognize contemporary art, MIXMASTER provides an opportunity for established and emerging artists to debut their most recent work, done in the last three years.

Works will be judged by Elizabeth Thompson Kirkpatrick, a Director at Anita Rogers Gallery in NYC.

View more on the Mattatuck Museum Website

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Anas Albraehe’s Work In Benefit Auction

Anas Albraehe, Untitled, 2021, Oil on canvas, 39 1/2″ x 47″

The Lebanese American University in collaboration with Artscoops is thrilled to announce the launch of a benefit online art auction, titled Art to Learn, Art to Live, that will run from September 7 to 12, 2022.

This auction will feature a wide range of works by notable artists from Lebanon working with various media, and spans everything from inventive abstract work and thought-provoking portraits to photography and design.

Lebanon has been dealt a heavy blow by a series of events including the 2020 port explosion and the worsening financial crisis. In spite of this, Lebanon’s long tradition of excellence in the fine arts continues today in its vibrant contemporary art scene.

Art to Learn, Art to Live has taken flight thanks to the generous donations from artists trying to help their home country. All proceeds from this auction will support student financial aid and cancer care at Lebanese American University.

Anas Albraehe’s 2021 work Untitled (pictured above) will be on view and available through the auction.

View More on ArtScoops.com

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Tribeca Citizen Shares Anita Rogers Gallery

Anas Albraehe: The Dreamer at Anita Rogers Gallery, 494 Greenwich Street

Anita Rogers Gallery just moved (in February) from Soho to a new space at 494 Greenwich, just north of Canal, so adding them in here as a new kid so we can track the expanding Tribeca Gallery District.

The gallery opened in 2016 on Mercer Street in a second floor space, then to a ground floor location on Greene Street. And while they loved that location, there was permanent scaffolding on the storefront and it became too much. “We are thrilled with our new space and location,” said gallery director Elizabeth Thompson. (She thought the space must have been a fitness studio before they moved in; years ago it was the Boris Bidjan Saberi boutique.)

Rogers is the daughter of British artist Jack Martin Rogers and is a classically trained opera singer, harpist and guitar player; as a result the gallery does a lot of music events and an annual Greek celebration, with live Greek music, food and dancing. (Rogers was raised in Greece.)

The current show — up till August 27 — is work by a young Syrian painter, Anas Albraehe, titled The Dreamer.

Anita Rogers Gallery
494 Greenwich
347-604-2346
Info@AnitaRogersGallery.com
Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm

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Anas Albraehe featured in Squarekufic

Installation photo of Anas Albraehe: The Dreamer (2022) at 494 Greenwich Street, New York. Photo: Jon-Paul Rodriguez

The contemporary Syrian artist Anas Al Braehe is famous for his series of paintings depicting sleeping refugees. In his paintings, the refugees appear safe, warm, and protected, if only momentarily, from the worries and problems of everyday life. If you are in NYC, you can visit his solo exhibition at the Anita Rogers Gallery.

View more on Squarekufic

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The Tribeca Trib Highlights Anas Albraehe

Work by Syrian Painter Anas Albraehe’s portraits of sleeping laborers and refugees sets his dreamers amid vivid and bold colors, a sharp contrast with their temporary state of escape from the sufferings of everyday life. At Anita Rogers Gallery, 494 Greenwich St., June 29–August 27. Reception: Wed., June 29, 6-8pm.

View more on TribecaTrib.com

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James Scott’s Tribute to Claes Oldenburg

Summer is for slowing down and making time for things both old and new…

It was with much sadness that I heard about the passing of Claes Oldenburg last week. Many summers ago I filmed my dual screen film, The Great Ice Cream Robbery, which documents Oldenburg’s installation of his solo retrospective at the Tate in 1970. Using the complex interplay between the two screens, the film shows the juxtaposition of an artist who is both playful and hard at work.

To mark Oldenburg’s passing, I am making the dual screen version of the film available for viewing until August 2nd.

Watch the film here: https://vimeopro.com/user3582856/tribute-to-claes-oldenburg

While temperatures heat up outside, I am trying to stay cool by sitting in a dark editing room and working diligently to complete my new film Elements of a Journey: Antoni Tàpies, a documentary about the life of Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies. Here is a link to the trailer: https://vimeo.com/674640431

This film was started in 1974, just a couple years after completing The Great Ice Cream Robbery, making my current film both something old and something new.

While I am in the final phases of the film, we are still in need of raising more completion funds to cover the cost of all the rich and wonderful archival materials.

Any leads on finishing funds are greatly appreciated! Feel free to reach out to me at scottart@roadrunner.com. Those who have worked on large scale projects know, the fundraising is not complete even after the final touches are put on a project.

View James Scott’s film.

View on AnitaRogersGallery.com

Middle East Institute at Columbia University Shares Anas Albraehe’s Solo Exhibition

Anita Rogers Gallery is thrilled to present The Dreamer, a solo exhibition of work by Syrian painter Anas Albraehe.

The exhibition will be on view June 29 through August 27 at 494 Greenwich Street, Ground Floor in New York City.

The gallery will welcome visitors on the evening of Wednesday, June 29, 6-8pm for a reception.

You can read the poem that accompanies the exhibition here.

Albraehe paints expressive portraits of men asleep – these are laborers and refugees enjoying a brief respite from the day to day. There is a historical precedent for painting sleeping figures – and men in particular (vs the ubiquitous reclining female nude) – artists from Goya to Bacon to Van Gogh have broached the topic. Born in Syria in 1991, Albraehe is a multidisciplinary artist focused on painting and theatre. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Painting and Drawing from Damascus University of Fine Arts in Syria in 2014. After the beginning of the war in Syria, he moved to Lebanon where he obtained a Master’s degree in Psychology and Art Therapy from the Lebanese University in 2015. His recent work combines his interests in the fields of art and psychology to produce a portrait that explores the psychology of color and the gaze of the Other. Albraehe has had solo exhibitions in Paris, Jordan, Beirut, and participated in group exhibitions worldwide. The artist’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of the Arab World in Paris (IMA) and he is a member of the French Artists Syndicate. He now lives and works in Beirut.

View more on Columbia’s website. 

View on AnitaRogersGallery.com