Two Distinct Views - The Individual and The Collective
Two Distinct Views - The Individual and The Collective
Ratio Gallery
Bellport, NY
March 15 - May 3, 2008
Throughout art history, artists have expressed their feelings, thoughts and visions through emphasizing the individual and the collective view in their artwork. In the latest Ratio Gallery exhibit, two artists, Marlies Ihmels and David N. Ebner, each offer their thoughts and perspectives on the view of the individual and the collective. Adding layers to these two perspectives are the very different mediums these two artists work in; sculptural furniture, and painting/drawing.
This exhibition features new figurative paintings and drawings by Marlies Ihmels. The large painting “Children of the Rising Sea”, 48 x 66 inches embraces the philosophical and aesthetic aspects of the collective. Created from the artist’s imagination, the painting bears no reference to any individual person known to the artist, nor any reference materials or artworks from art history. In this work the artist’s intuition and feeling merged with the artist’s internalized knowledge of form. This creation embodies a pure vision of the collective as individual figures merge to form one mass within their given environment, as in a flock of birds or school of fish. The drawings on the other hand stress the individual, they are studies from life. These works are representations of single individuals expressing qualities unique to their own character.
In David N. Ebner’s sculptural furniture the individual and the collective play out in an aesthetic and practical way. In these works the main focus is an emphasis of incorporating various materials and their aesthetic function and use. Here different materials submit to a larger structure. A perfect example is David N. Ebner’s new bench named “Merging Inclination”. The artist has intuitively juxtaposed naturally twisted & hand carved wood. In addition the benches function was then taken to a new level of meaning by adding stone to the design. This bench serves as a collective work of art through its aesthetic design, its materials, and its function as a double bench and table. Other works by David N. Ebner stress the individual view as single objects of art through their aesthetic use of unique materials and their functional purpose.
Ratio Gallery is located at 10 Bell Street, Bellport, New York. Gallery hours are Friday 1 - 5 pm, Saturday 11 am - 5 pm, or by appointment. For more information go to www.ratiogallery.com
Image Credits~
TOP:
Merging Inclination
David N. Ebner
BOTTOM:
Children of the Rising Sea
Marlies Ihmels