Paintings by Ariel Lapidus
Joe Bar 810 East Roy, Seattle WA 98102
Hours: 7:30 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Sunday
In her new series of paintings, "Nouveau Americana", Ariel Lapidus combines collage backgrounds with still life found objects to create a new contexts.
In her new series of paintings, "Nouveau Americana", Ariel Lapidus combines collage backgrounds with still life found objects to create a new contexts. By pasting newspaper clippings together, she weaves a tapestry of text which becomes a miasma of information. This new form then serves as a backdrop from which creations such as a penguin squirt-gun or a cute pink elephant stand out boldly in the foreground. Lapidus serves up the everyday novelty object as if it were an unencountered country.
The new america that Lapidus explores is not some much a physical space as a mental one. Like the Berlin Dadaist Hanna Hoch, the artist clips material culture from the main stream media and arranges it to better suit our times. She thoughtfully wades into the forest of text to create a topiary for the viewer to enjoy.
Compositionally her creations remind the viewer of 19th century British science illustrations. It is as if the artists mind has become the HMS Beagle and we the viewers are riding along with Charles Darwin on a voyage of discovery. The works themselves could be thought of as the Galapagos archipelago, featuring rare and individual species on each composition.
Subtle and quietly sly, the artist shares with the viewer her dry wry wit. This deep shadow is contrasted with a lyrical bright use of color. The painted object seems to leap out at the eye shouting for attention. The size of the works range from the epic to the intimate. The frames complement the compositions like a sandy beach rings a tropical island.
The show will run through the end of August at the Joe Bar Cafe. For art lovers this opportunity is the perfect time to view this new body of work at a place where they also have the art of a double short latte in the most sublime fashion. The viewer is advised to be ready to set sail on a voyage of the imagination.
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