on going exhibition through March 28: …and sweeps me away by the A.I.R. National Artists

…and sweeps me away
curatorial essay by Barbara O’Brien
I have selected works of art for the 2010 National Members Exhibition that cannot be known by standing in a single place—either physical or philosophical. The artist invites, expects, or demands that the viewer move from near to far to experience the surface or composition of the art, that the viewer brings an intellectual generosity, a willingness to engage with the work of art.
I do not see these works as message driven, but they do take a stance that challenges a reading based on knowing the gender of the artist. There seems to be in the work as a whole a move away from the didactic to the interpretive, away from the self-portrait as an image of the self to the self-portrait as a cultural snapshot in which the viewer shares an implicit place. I am grateful to have been invited to jury this exhibition and hope that my observations can assist the visitor as he or she connects with the works of art on view.

--the following the extract from the essay--

Pale Planet by Katsura Okada is a bold continuation of the artist’s exploration of imbuing sculptural abstraction with political and social import. Looking, like many of the artists on view, toward an uneasy future, Okada utilizes rice paper in a range of blues to reference all that might be lost if environmental issues are not resolved: the palest blue of shimmering moonlight to the deepest marine blue of the ocean.
Barbara O’Brien
Curator, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Kansas Cit y, Misouri

“…and sweeps me away”: Curated by Barbara O’Brien
Dates: March 3 - 28, 2010
A.I.R. Gallery, Front Street, #228 Brooklyn, NY 11201
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 6pm, Tel: 212-255-6651
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Wheelchair access to the building is through the 55 Washington Street entrance. Take the elevator to the 2nd Floor.
Directions: The F train to York St. (first stop in Brooklyn) Turn right as you exit the station, walk 1 block down hill to Front St. Turn left on Front St. and walk 2 1/2 blocks. Or take the A/C train to High St. (first stop in Brooklyn) and walk through Cadman Plaza Park and down Washington St. toward the water until you reach Front St, then turn right.