Wildly different things
Gloria Duque
Born in 1955 in Colombia, South America, Gloria Duque trained as an Architect and a Graphic Designer in her native city of Medellín. After a few years of professional practice, at the rise of violence in Medellín and seeking the opportunity to learn another language, she moved to Boston in 1986. While preparing for a Masters Degree in Art, she worked as a designer for eight and a half years in Armonk, NY. After graduation, she worked in the planning department of a big firm in New York City for two and a half years. Looking for an exciting change in her life, she ...
Claudia Trombin
Italian painter Claudia Trombin’s artwork revolves around the concept of the mask as an ambivalent object charged with symbols and multiple meanings. In her research the mask loses her physical dimension and becomes a state of mind. Wearing a mask means losing an identity to adopt a new one. Playing different roles in our daily life, we steal images from a different world, ending up becoming what we act. Our mask devours our true face to substitute it. Yet, a mask is not always a disguise: it can simply represent a side of our personality rarely shown. Through paintings revisiting the fascinating ...
Matt Gorrek
Matt Gorrek was born and raised on Long Island, NY. He developed his passion for street photography by walking around NYC, where he moved to in the mid 90ʼs. Inspired by Robert Frank, William Eggleston and Nan Goldin, he has an eye for capturing relevant, off the cuff, and seemingly mundane images that allow the viewer to take in the beauty and poetry that surrounds us night and day. He is drawn to mystery, in color or black and white, exposed or unfinished; images that unfold every moment of our lives. His photographs leave the viewer wanting more, allowing them to participate in ...
Diana Oberlander
Diana Oberlander was born in the former U.S.S.R, immigrated to New York City as a child, and currently lives in Manhattan. She works in mixed media, collage and installations, with a focus on paper drawings and porcelain poetics. Her artwork incorporates a semiotic obsessiveness with the subjects of love, longing and loss.
Claudia Alvarez
Painter and sculptor Claudia Alvarez focuses much of her work on investigating themes of childhood. “I utilize characteristics of children to embody psychological and sociological structures of human behavior. I’m interested in investigating the sociology of human relationships and their psychological elements they tend to instigate.” [gallery] Alvarez received her BA from the University of California, Davis, and an MFA from the California College of Arts in San Francisco. Alvarez work has been reviewed in regional and national publications such as Review Magazine and NY Arts Magazine and New American Paintings Volume #74 Northeastern. She is currently in Judith Schwartz's new book, ...
David Rockwell
Since coming to New York, David has been developing a body of work inspired by the organic geometries found in the natural and scientific worlds. The "Particle Study" series is based on forms and patterns found in cloud and bubble chamber diagrams used by physicists to study the collisions of subatomic particles. The “Figure Study” series is the result of his long-standing interest in figure drawing, and the motion, volume and energy contained within and activated by each pose. His influences come from science, literature, art and design and the relationships that can be found between them. The medium is oil ...
Cait O’Connor
Poetic characters, delicate and neat textures, fascinating athmospheres are the trademark of Cait O'Connor's paintings and illustrations. Her masterful use of colors and media and her skills as costume designer allows her to create marvellous large scale pieces such as her recent "Girls I know" series. Women depicted as mysterious and almost ghostly entities, escaping earthly judgement, are the subject of a dream-like world that hits the viewer with melancholy and a yearning for an unattainable harmony. Playing with a cold palette to render transparencies, veils and graceful draperies, Cait creates a fairy-tale stage for these aloof and detached girls, lost in their imaginary world. "I am looking at women hiding in plain sight. This is a series of portraits ...
Andrew Coates
Andrew Russel Coates drew sports cars, superheroes and schematics of complex underground habitats below Snoopy’s doghouse during a bucolic childhood on a small farm in rural northeast Pennsylvania until he was directed away from art by the practical powers that be and entered the Pennsylvania State University as an architectural engineering major, got bored, joined a fraternity, and switched to pre-med (BS 1996). After working in various medical jobs, he rejected that field too, but was again struck by the ensuing onus of career when faced with acceptance to the nation’s best dental school. What an awful idea. Emboldened by ...
Solange Umutoni
Abstract painter Solange Umutoni was born in Kigali, Rwanda, in 1972. She escaped genocide in 1994 and moved to New York in 1997, where she currently lives and works. [gallery] Solange holds a BA in Art History and French literature from Kigali, Rwanda and studied painting, composition and collages at the Art Student League in New York. Her work was shown in group exhibitions worldwide, such as "Mirrors of Continuous Change" in Hong Kong (2010), "It Ain't Fair" in Basel with the Deitch Gallery (2008), "Kipton" at Design space, NY (2006), "Windows of Opportunities" at Biche De Bere, NY (2005).
Lee Vasu
Inspired by the stunning mosaics, the 14th century frescos, and the sacred icons of his native land churches, Romanian painter Lee Vasu’s creations evoke the power of a passionate, meaningful, and mysterious iconography. Filled with gold, silver, and copper pigments evoking mystical memories, though portraying sexy and deeply human figures, Vasu’s paintings gracefully blend sacred and profane images. The auras surrounding the figures remind us of the divine essence present even within the most imperfect human being. Yet, the exact circularity of the saints’ halos is replaced with irregular shapes, indicating these men and women are not spiritually perfect. Nonetheless, ...
Bess Sobota
Bess Sobota is a photographer based in New York City. Her work focuses on moments of stillness, searching, and transformation in everyday life. Sobota received her Master's from a joint program between the International Center of Photography and New York University, where she was recipient of the Rudin Foundation Multimedia Technology Award in 2006. She is currently the manager and curator of Lana Santorelli Gallery in New York.
BLOG-Z
Mint & Serf, Special Graffiti Unit@ Lyons Wier Gallery – July 28th, 2010Contaminate NYC is please to recommend to our network “Mint&Serf – Special Graffiti Units,” an exhibition at the Lyons Wier Gallery curated by Derrick B.Harden. Opening on July 28th, at 6:00pm.
Interview with Peter Gerakaris, Part Two“Well, when I first moved to NYC I met an elderly Russian painter who gave me his business card, which read: ‘if you meet an artist, kill him.’ Aside from that advice, I would say make the best possible work you can and stay true to your own personal vision—be genuine.” – Peter Gerakaris
An Interview with Peter GerakarisI suppose my work toys with that slippery space between vernacular “visual culture”, my personal reverence for the forms of Nature and specific languages in painting (Chinese landscapes, Italian Renaissance and Baroque, Modernist Op-art abstractions).
Leisure: Group Show@ Ernest Rubenstein Gallery-Jul 8th, 2010Leisure: group show at the Ernest Rubenstein Gallery in the Lower East side. Opening Reception on July 8th, from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
Blog-Z and Things to ComeFind out how we are going to enhance the Blog-Z area of our website with information about everything cool, hip, and interesting going on in the world of New York art, music, and beyond.
Tell me a Tale: How PenTales is Bringing Back StorytellingFind out how Stephanie Ursula Hodges and Saskia Miller – two childhood friends passionate about connecting people through stories – created PenTales, an storytelling initiative.
Claudia Trombin: Alter Ego@ De Santos – 22nd June, 2010Contaminate NYC is pleased to present “Alter Ego,” an evening of music and art showcasing the exhibition of Italian painter Claudia Trombin. To be held at De Santos, the cozy West Village eatery located at 139 West 10th Street, the show opens on June 22nd. The exhibition will close on July 4th.
OUTBREAK
Beyond the Brambles @ Kanibal Home – July 23rd, 2010Jersey City Outbreak starts with Beyond the Brambles, a solo-exhibition of media artist, designer, illustrator and animator Jade Kuei at Kanibal Home, home furnishings and lifestyle shop located in Jersey City, NJ and CNYC partner.
Information (apparently)@O’Barone – July 6th, 2010CNYC presents Information (apparently): A no-career, semi-retrospective by Andrew Coates, local resident, including new data on [blank] bears. Opening July 6th, 2010 at O’Barone. Special thanks to Sarah Schmerler for her contribution to the evening organization.
ARTISTS
Cait O’ConnorIllustrator, Painter and Costume Designer. She lives and works in New York City.
Jade KueiMedia artist, designer, illustrator and animator based in Jersey City.
Andrew CoatesLongtime Red Hook resident, he divides his time between graphic and the fine arts.
David RockwellPainter, Graphic and environmental designer. He lives and works in New York.
