JMurray: October 2019

The art exhibition I choose to go see is Seeing Things at the Denny Dimin Gallery. The artist whose work is presented is Erin O’Keefe. Erin O’Keefe is a visual artist and an architect, and has shown work in Denny Dimin Gallery several times. The galley is in the heart of Tribeca, and is a small contemporary art gallery that showcases established artists on a global scale.

The presentation of the photographs

Form: The photographs are using unusual smooth shapes with different dimensional spacing to create the photographs. Each of the blocks are spaced next to each other without blocking the blocks. There is some interesting negative space that the maker created.
Medium: There are several things that make up the photograph. Many of the photographs have a couple of colorful blocks that are shaped in non geometric forms. The blocks are painted and each side is painted with different colors. There are also painted backdrops that compliments the colors of the blocks.

Background information on photographer(s)’ work presented (from press release or your own research, list sources)- The exhibition is a combination of new photographs as well as sculptures. The work explores the light and dimensional space. The photographs are straightforward, yet unstructured at the same time. The press release from Denny Dimin Gallery states, “the photographs in the exhibition are still life arrangements of painted wood blocks and planes.”

The photographs as a group

The subject of the photographs are painted non geometric colorful wood blocks. The subject matter is the exploration of space and light, and how they relate and contrast. The form of the photographs are colorful wooden blocks and backdrops, and the style is abstract. Many of the photographs are around 50x40 inches. O’Keefe is an architect which gives her a new lens as a photograph, and emphasizes on spacial awareness of objects.

Evaluate

Did it evoke any feeling or response from you as a viewer?- I felt that anytime I would look at the photographs, I would see something new or something different emphasized within the photographs.

Kiss
By: Erin O'Keefe
2019

A particular image from the show that stood out to you, Erin O’Keefe Kiss, 2019.

The subject was two black, light blue, and gold wooden blocks. The subject matter of Kiss is the way two objects almost touch but are not, and how easily the objects can fit together. The form is navy blue, baby blue, gold, and black wooden painted blocks and backdrop. The style of this photograph is structured abstract.

What stood out to you about this photograph/what made you choose it? I liked the contrast of colors on the blocks, and the design and the shape of the blocks. This photograph very much reminded me of the ocean because of all of the blue used in the photograph, and the wavy edges of the blocks. This photo fits in well with the others because it has the same style as the other photographs in the gallery.

If there were works in any other media besides photography talk briefly about them and how they related to the photographs in the exhibition- There were three sculptures that were within the exhibition, they were wall hung painted plywood and mirror constructions. The sculptures complimented the photographs because the photographs were showing the infinite ways to explore space with a structured facility. The sculptures jutted out of the wall and emphasized the exploration of negative space.

While looking at these photographs, it reminded me of the infinite amount of ways something can get to point A to point B. Many of the photographs have smooth curvy lines that extend from one side of the block to the other. The show also projected a calm state of mind for myself. When I saw all of the smooth waves within the blocks, it reminded me of the ocean and how each wave comes to the shoreline differently but ends in the same destination. I think the artist was trying to show the different ways objects can be looked at from the same lens. The photographs are very obvious yet uncertain in the same way. I believe the artist communicated that idea effectively. Some people were very certain at what they were looking at, yet others were questioning what they saw. I would love to see more works by this artist, O’Keefe has an interesting perspective of photography.

Press release: https://dennydimingallery.com/exhibitions/seeing-things/