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The Accomplice, The Abettor
2014, Oil on canvas, 64 x 38 in / 162.6 x 96.5 cm
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Oubliette
2014, Oil on canvas, 54 x 38 in / 137.2 x 96.5 cm
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Surface
2014, Oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in / 122 x 91 cm
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Fathoms
2014, Oil on canvas, 20 x 16 in / 50.8 x 40.6 cm
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Farewell
2014, Oil on canvas, 20 x 16 in / 50.8 x 40.6 cm
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AARON NAGEL
Fathoms
May 9 - June 7, 2014
Opening Reception
Friday, May 9th
6 - 9pm
"I
happened upon Aaron Nagel's artwork while surfing the art-world
blogosphere a few years back. His images had all the makings of a great
painting--wonderfully composed, impeccably painted, and slightly
ominous. The work was swiftly etched in my brain and I had to find who
this painter was. Through due diligence, I learned that Nagel is an
accomplished musician, graphic designer and self-taught artist. Being
self-taught added extra intrigue for me, as his painting prowess is
simply astonishing. I continued to watch Nagel's artistic growth and
eventually added one of his pieces to our personal collection. Living
with the work allowed me to truly understand that Nagel's painting
ability shares equal footing with his graphic design interest and
skills, and that the work somehow has its own distinct yet indescribable
timbre.
"Fathoms" evidences Nagel's enduring
admiration for classical oil painting both in technique and
composition. This exhibition builds upon his last body of work by
advancing his understanding and use of light and shadow. Working with
live models and photography, Nagel seemingly sculpts the figure with
brushwork and shadow play. His renderings recall a litany of historical
and contemporary painters that work with the female nude. However
Nagel transcends many of his contemporaries and comparisons in the way
he encapsulates the spirit of his models with a blend of
self-confidence, inner-peace and personal strength. There
is a palpable sense of assuredness whereby one is immediately
captivated by the conceptual context of the subjects' body language and
eye contact (or lack of).
Another
engaging element in Nagel's work is his use of typography as a
compositional and aesthetic element. "The Accomplice Abettor MMXIV,"
(seen above) is not only the name of the painting but also a formal
element that clearly pays homage to historical artwork as well as to the
artist's skill in graphic design. I applaud these efforts as I have
always contended that if the title of the piece is an integral part of
the work, it should be a part its composition." - Michael Lyons Wier
Born
in 1980 in San Francisco, CA, Aaron Nagel began drawing as a child and
gradually made his way to painting. Upon discovering oils in his early
twenties, he became enamored with the medium and has been obsessed with
it ever since. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland (OR), Philadelphia, Tampa, Miami, and
New York and has shown at international art fairs such as Art Miami and
Scope Art Fair. Nagel was a Semi-Finalist for the Outwin Boochever
Portrait Competition (2009) at the Smithsonian National Portrait
Gallery, Washington, DC. Aaron Nagel lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.
This is his second solo show with Lyons Wier Gallery.
For more information, please contact:
Lyons Wier Gallery
542 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011
Gallery hours: Tues - Sat, 11am - 6pm
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