Jo-Ann Acey: "Urban Stories: A Changing Landscape"
April 21 - May 23 2021
440 Gallery is delighted to present Jo-Ann Acey’s newest work. Acey is known for bringing exuberant energy to an artful blend of the real and the imagined. For this exhibition her focus is on the urban landscape and she does not disappoint. The city’s spirit is clearly her muse: we see architectural elements and powerful shapes interact with color, line and just enough grit to feel the city’s pulse in each piece. Jo-Ann says, “Urban is
a collection of drawings and paintings that document my reaction to the changing landscape, in particular, the urban landscape. All things are in a constant state of change. Time, light, movement and growth can affect our view and response. Sunrise and sunset, the seasonal cycle, the monochromatic palette of glass, steel and concrete can change from minute to minute. Rain, snow, and wind all contribute to our vision and response. Movement and change continuously feed my creative process, intellectually and emotionally.”
Indeed, it is a pleasure to experience Acey’s unique blend of control and spontaneity in pieces like Urban, No 1. The viewer feels as if they might be strolling down a busy street, and with a turn of the head everything might change. Yet, upon more careful study, one finds the satisfying control underlying the artful construction of the composition, allowing for sustained viewing.
This is Jo-Ann Acey’s third solo show at 440 Gallery. Acey received an MFA in Painting and Drawing from Texas Tech University. Her work has been included in shows in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Texas, New Mexico and is in private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. She lives and works in Brooklyn. Her studio is located in the Gowanus Art Community.
Project Space: Distillation
440 Gallery is pleased to present the work of Ellen Chuse, David Stock and Amy Weil in Distillation, a group show in the gallery’s Project Space. These three artists, while working in very different media, are linked by a forcefulness of image and ideas. The three share a desire to distill their work down to a clear message that also holds contradictions. The work may seem to have content that is dark, but on closer inspection the viewer finds light and playfulness. Each artist gives the viewer freedom to create their own narrative, while enjoying the artist’s unique perspective.
Ellen Chuse works with acrylic paint on paper to explore abstract form that is coupled with emotionally resonant color. The dark and seemingly black forms (actually a layering of green and blue) contain a mystery of intent. Are they menacing or meditative? How does the work change when viewed close up or at a distance? The deeply saturated color ground invariably evokes a response. Chuse states, “While I may have a narrative with each piece, I hope the viewer will bring their own life experience to the work.” Ultimately, the story of the work depends on the viewer.
David Stock is known for his urban images. His photography is a masterful blend of attention to detail, color and content. Here he turns his incredible eye to the unexpected. David says, "My favorite photographs do more than describe the world. They are metaphors: external manifestations of both my inner state and my world view.”
Amy Weil also gives us a glimpse of her world view. In her new series of encaustic paintings, Diary Series, she incorporates text on what appears to be painted, lined paper. She uses words to give voice to frustration, anxiety and anger. The lined paper connotes childhood memories of being in school, as well as a sense of faded memories. The text is a reaction to the world at large, and how politics has divided us. Weil says, “There is a bifurcation in our society that is so deep, that we now live in an alternate reality where truth is a matter of opinion and words can be twisted to suit the narrative. I am using ambiguous phrases and questions that can be interpreted by the viewer through their own personal lens. I invite everyone to bring their own history and emotions to engage in these works.”