What's one way to showcase an independent exhibition of trailblazing art galleries amidst the popular Armory, Bridge, Scope, and Pulse shows? Hold it on a barge on Pier 66, offer beverages and hot dogs, and have a film premier/screening on the adjacent ship.
I arrived about 20 minutes before beauty hour and could not imagine a more serene happenstance; the sun was about to set behind the cityscape and I was boarding a boat to look at a vast collection of cutting-edge art from several different galleries. I was completely giddy, almost to the point of relief that I was super late for the preview. I have just been so desperate for a platform for emerging artist and I just knew this had to be one.
I may have had high hopes, but what is a girl to do knowing what would be featured at Fountain Art Fair; Ad Hoc Art, Ch'i, Definition, Glowlab, Leo Kesting, McCaig-Welles, and Stuart Shepherd... to name a few of my faves.
The first artist I encountered was Kevin Bourgeois, who works primarily with graphite on paper. At first glance, one might think he integrates ink, paint, or even silkscreen, however, Bourgeois is one of the finest graphite manipulators I have seen in the 21st century. His sociopolitical pieces challenge one's curiosities regarding life/death and love/hate.
Bourgeois, a very eloquent, grounded, and thought provoking man, expressed to me that he himself, has a great curiosity about these identity issues and acknowledges that we all seek answers as we come into our own as human beings. His quest is to portray how we struggle and strive to solve these uncertainties.
These are the stories Bourgeois feels need to be told. His visual narratives utilize "juxtapositions such as technology/human nature, individuality/consumer culture, and superficiality/altruism" to successfully convey his message. You can currently view his work at Ch'i Contemporary Fine Art in Brooklyn.
Moving further into the ship, I discovered Glowlab, a gallery that exhibits artists with a printmaking background and who are inspired by cities- working with the urban environment. I was quite struck by the artists featured by Glowlab.
Jason Cantoro, works with a unique and dense layering process on found wood, "forcing the limits of each medium and merges painting, silkscreening and drawing". This creates an amazing texture character.
While Beka Goedde, has a subtler blending approach, and a more muted palate. She combines copper plate etchings and pencil onto either wood or paper, delving into the perception of space, light, architecture, and thought within her surroundings.
Christina Ray, founder and director of Glowlab, then introduced me to Roberto
Molla's work. Being from Spain, one can see his European influence in his use of geometric shape. Yet he also incorporates Japanese Pop Culture, as he spends most of his time creating work in Japan.
Already overwhelmed with visual stimulation, I was just about to skim through the rest of the barge, when a mixed media installation caught my eye. I practically flew over to get a closer look. I was in love.
However, you will have to stay tuned to find out who captivated my heart...
-Article by Britten Heft
*Image 1: Kevin Bourgeois: Identity as Crisis,
*Image 2: Jason Cantoro: Untitled
*Image 3: Beka Goedde: Pastoral
*Image 4: Roberto Molla: 36 Cortesanas de Minowa (11)
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