jeudi 19 octobre 2017

NYC 2010 NYARTS magazine

…Yet You’re My Favorite Work of Art

Date posted: March 1, 2010 Author: jolanta

An intriguing group exhibition, My Funny Valentine: A Tribute to Chet Baker curated by the outsider Tchera Niyego, featured Carl Andre, Ilsabé von Dallwitz, Jennifer Contini Enderby, Rudi Keimel, Ayşe Küçük, Robert Le Biez, and Michelle Sakhai. The subject matter of the exhibition explores the nature of love, and perception, visual and otherwise, in relation to the theater of passions and life. Niyego utilizes the talent of her artists to investigate the circumstance, psychology and the blueprint that comprise the performance of love. Captivated and inspired by Chet Baker’s tale of love and ardor, Niyego is almost effortless in her selection of artists who recreate the beauty of Baker’s blues in this omnipotent and wicked show.
Suzie Walshe
An intriguing group exhibition, My Funny Valentine: A Tribute to Chet Baker curated by the outsider Tchera Niyego, featured Carl Andre, Ilsabé von Dallwitz, Jennifer Contini Enderby, Rudi Keimel, Ayşe Küçük, Robert Le Biez, and Michelle Sakhai. The subject matter of the exhibition explores the nature of love, and perception, visual and otherwise, in relation to the theater of passions and life. Niyego utilizes the talent of her artists to investigate the circumstance, psychology and the blueprint that comprise the performance of love.
Captivated and inspired by Chet Baker’s tale of love and ardor, Niyego is almost effortless in her selection of artists who recreate the beauty of Baker’s blues in this omnipotent and wicked show. Indulging our whimsical free spirits into a realm that is both visionary and contemplative, the exhibition is experimental yet well- studied. The blending of genres alone forms an exploration into the space where all sorts of threads of life merge into a united fabric of experience and relationships.

The central focus, and for many viewers the highlight of the show was the work of French artist Robert Le Biez, who invites viewers to rejoice with him in his poignant, cognitive rendition of the human relationships in their most exposed, honest light. Le Biez’s sculptures exist in a state that is somewhere between 2D and 3D. They are constructed out of sheets of thin wood, layering on top of each other, and dissecting each other at different points. The bright reds, yellows, blues, and greens pop against each other in a dramatic flare, accentuating their different angles and planes. In contrast to their perpendicular joints the wood plates themselves are cut and molded into elegant jazzy lines that flow gracefully. In the artist’s A Tribute to Chet Baker the contours are made with such delicacy it would appear that they were being contorted and described by the wind… In other pieces, such as Secret Flower or Havva, the contours have a more still stance, with a more even weight, dispersed throughout the entire piece. In these pieces, there is not a natural sense of mass or gravity, but a jumbled balancing act of it all, a circus composition that allocates an even presence to everything regardless of measurement. Working against nature by creating sculpture that is formed in the in between 2.5D space, La Biez coaxes viewers deeper, leaving them disoriented. Despite its chaotic nature, this balance brings a paradoxical harmony to the pieces. Having that constant visual action of hiding, seeking and folding inside and then revealing themselves once again outside, creates an interaction that establishes a comforting and pleasing progression of movement throughout the pieces. This almost peaceful play comes as somewhat of a surprise and quite a contrast to the other prominent qualities of the pieces. Although they are indeed comprised of wood, these sculptures are anything but mechanical or inflexible—they stir and dance with life, finding an exuberant breath in vivid colors, excited lines, and an animated composition.
http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/yet-youre-my-favorite-work-of-art/