Viridian's 32nd Annual International Juried Exhibition : Statement from Heather Ferrell, Curator and Director of Exhibitions at Burlington City Arts

Heather Ferrell Juror Statement:

As the juror for Viridian’s 32nd Annual International Juried Exhibition, I was excited and somewhat daunted by the incredible response to the call for submissions. Due to the large number of exceptional works, there were difficult decisions to be made and much consideration. In my final selection, I chose to focus on artists whose work addressed a set of criteria that included quality of execution; whether the work embodied a relevant concept, issue, or emotional state; or imagery that somehow pushed the boundaries of craft or media in new directions.

Artists who made me curious to delve deeper and spend time with their work especially caught my attention. These artists challenged or upended notions of their media or expectations of the viewer, often using processes and materials in innovative ways. Thematically, works selected for the exhibition include an emphasis on abstraction, materiality, and evocative narrative. Some artists represented the relevance of traditional methods of making, while others interrogated the varied possibilities within their media or mode of representation as a means of inspiration.

I am very grateful to all the artists who submitted work to the competition, and to Viridian Artists for inviting me to jury. I am honored to have the opportunity to select from such a talented group of artists. The thirty exceptional works of art included in this exhibition represent the breadth, diversity, and thought-provoking trends in contemporary art today.

Press Release: Viridian's 32nd Annual International Juried Exhibition

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Viridian's 32nd Annual International Juried Exhibition

Juried by Heather Ferrell, Curator and Director of Exhibitions at Burlington City Arts

January 3 – January 28, 2023
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 5, 6–8pm

1st prize – Steffani Bailey    2nd prize – Emily Fisher    3rd prize – Hongmi Kim Hoog
Honorable Mention: Christopher Daniggelis & Virginia Sharkey

Norman Aragones * Enrico Battan * Pernel Berkeley * Christa Capua *
Lauren Cassidy Laura Cleary * Kei J Constantinov * Peter De Pelsmacker *
Denise Dmochowski * Patricia Downs * Sharon Draghi * Alan Garry *
Britt Harrison * Sungji Huh * Samar Hussaini * Sue Im Koo  * Stephanie Lempres * Edward Mills * Meghan Mirasolo * Ruth Poor * Michael Rainey *
Sarah Rockower * Betty Usdan-Zwickler * Céline Vankimmenade * Mark Vogel

            Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present our 32nd International Juried Exhibition curated by Heather Ferrell, Curator and Director of Exhibitions at the Burlington City Arts Center. The exhibition opens January 3rd and continues through January 28, 2023 with a reception to be held on Thursday, January 5, 6–8pm. We are especially pleased to present cash awards to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of this important competition that brings the art of emerging and under-recognized artists to the attention of museum curators.

            Heather Ferrell is Curator and Director of Exhibitions at Burlington City Arts, Vermont. Ms. Ferrell believes in the intrinsic role of art in the exchange of meaningful ideas, and is dedicated to successfully connecting art, artists, and audiences through relevant, thought-provoking exhibitions and programs.

As always, Viridian makes a concerted effort to expand the opportunities for outstanding artists’ work to be seen and exhibited. Consequently, the gallery director, Vernita Nemec, also selected artwork from those submitted that will be viewable as the “Director’s Choice” digital presentation. We feel it important to tangibly demonstrate that curatorial choice is often as much about personal taste as it is about the “quality” of the art, for “quality” in art is often open to opinion.

The competition selection as always was difficult, but especially so for the nature of art in our world today encompasses a wide variety of methods, materials, and conceptualizations of what art is. Curiously, both Ms. Ferrell and Ms. Nemec selected some of the same artists, despite the many outstanding and diverse submissions. We look forward to sharing this fascinating exhibition of timely contemporary art by artists we are sure you will see more of in the future.

“Director's Choice” winners to be presented digitally, and will include:

Steffani Bailey * Alyson Barton * Denise Brook * Dan Cohen * Matt Cohen *
Jo Cosme * Tonia Cowan * Patricia Downs * Sharon Draghi *
Anne Dushanko Dobek * Elaine Erne * Emily Fisher * Sungji Huh * Haley Indorato * Kimberly Keller * Alfia Kircheva * Valerie Mann * Paul Murray * Victoria Perry * Xan Peters * Jelisa Peterson * Michael Rainey * Adam Strange *
Mary Jane Tenerelli * Basia Tov * Meredeth Turshen * Margaret Vega *
Catherine Walker * Mollie Ward * Kenneth Witkowski * Donna Wolfe

Gallery hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12–6pm

For further information, please contact the gallery at 212 414 4040 or at viridianartistsinc@gmail.com.

Please visit the gallery website at www.viridianartists.com.

Press Release: “The Gifts We Don’t Know We Have”

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 “The Gifts We Don’t Know We Have”

 November 29-December 30, 2022

Opening receptions:

Thursday December 1, 5-7pm (Private)
Saturday December 3, 4-6pm

Mask wearing desirable 

Just in time for the holiday season, Viridian Artists is pleased to present “The Gifts We Don't Know We Have,” an invitational group exhibit of small artworks, all priced at $300 or under. Over 30 artists share their art with you in our special holiday exhibition.

This is the season when our email is filled with messages offering gifts of all sorts. But we must remember that there are many meanings to the word “Gift.” The first that comes to mind is a present that we give to someone without expecting payment. But other definitions of “gift” can be very different. The Department of the Interior defines a gift as being anything with monetary value that you get for less than its “market value.” And in legal language “gifts” can often be a way to avoid paying tax.

But there are also the gifts of kindness and generosity which once used, become easier and easier to share and are irreplaceable. Fred Rogers, who some might remember as Mr. Rogers, once said “in a world where you can be anything, be kind.” Those who possess the qualities of empathy and compassion possess gifts that cannot be gotten with money.

And then there are the gifts of talent and ability. There are so many things in our lives that we take for granted, sometimes not realizing how fortunate we are to have them. Our special abilities are not always recognized by others or even by ourselves, but they are gifts that only we possess. Singing, writing, making art, moving beautifully, physical strength, cooking, organizing, fixing are all attributes and abilities that develop as we find the propensity to utilize them.  Sharing such gifts often brings not only the pleasure in the doing, but also acknowledgement and gratitude from others. The artists in this exhibition look forward to sharing their artistic and creative gifts with you.

Participating Artists 

Ayako Bando * Jenny Belin * Annaliese Bischoff * Dorothy Braudy * Ellen Burnett * Sabine Carlson * Irene Christensen * Ursala Clark * Chasity Colon * May Deviney * Rhonda Donovan * Stefanie Eins * Bernice Faegenberg * Arlene Finger *
David Fitzgerald *Alan Gaynor * Wally Gilbert * Joshua Greenberg * Miho Hiranouchi *
Kazuo Ishikawa * Kat King * Namyo Kubo * Marco Lando * Angela M. LaMonte *
Bernice Sokol Kramer * Jackie Lima * Rosemary Lyons * John Lloyd * Vern McClish *
Carol Massa * Matthias Merdan * Hiromi Minami * Vernita N’Cognita *
Nancy Nicol * Anna Novakov * Mariko Okabayashi *Alla Podolsky * Brett Poza *
Sarah Riley * Karen Roth * Laura Rutherford Renner * Sai A. * Tomoyo Seta *
Frank Sheehan * Susan Sills * Angela Smith * Sheila Smith * Jane Talcott *
Toto Takamori * Ryuga Tenzan * Christopher T. Terry * Canan Tsubaki *Sharon Wybrants & others

For further information please contact
Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Directorvisit Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at
Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com

Please stop by Wally Gilbert's Open Studio! Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th: 11 to 6 pm.

Wally Gilbert will open his studio as part of

Brickbottom Open Studios :

Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th: 11 to 6 pm.

Please Stop By!

One Fitchburg Street

Somerville, MA 20143

Studio C319

Press Release: Susan Sills: HEAD-ON

SUSAN SILLS

“HEAD-ON”

A Look at the Old Masters & More
November 1- 26, 2022

Opening Reception Saturday, November 12, 4-6 PM

Meet the Artist: Saturday, November 19, 4-6 PM

 Proceeds will be donated to Dance for Parkinsons

Chelsea NY: Viridian Artists is pleased to present an exhibition of outstanding art by Susan Sills. The show opens November 1st and continues through November 26th, with an opening reception Saturday November 12, 4-6 PM and a Meet the Artist on Saturday, November 19 from 4 to 6 PM. In addition to seeing this exhibit in person, you can view this fascinating exhibit on the Viridian Artists website at www.viridianartists.com.

Susan Sills’ life-size freestanding wood cut-outs of characters from Old Master paintings are a whimsical restructuring of art history. By releasing the familiar images from the confinement of the frame and thrusting them into real space the paintings confront the contemporary viewer in new and surprising ways that invariably provoke not only smiles but also fresh insights.

Continuing a project she started over 40 years ago, her sculptures explore the magic of encountering familiar personages from Art History in a totally new context.  Millet’s “The Gleaners“, Seurat’s couple from “A Sunday Afternoon on the La Grande Jatte”, and Chagall’s “Fiddler“ all somehow change when they enter our contemporary rooms, the size and volume of normal human beings.

With a jigsaw she carefully cuts fine birch plywood to shape, and then re-creates in oil paints the original artist’s technique, be it the heavy impasto of Van Gogh or the subtle glazes of Ingres. Rendered life-size regardless of the size of the original, they relate not only to us, but also to each other.

 
“As with all of Sills’ delightful post pop takes of familiar figures from art history, encountering them out of context, blown up to life size, is like spotting one’s favorite movie stars on the street. No other artist has done so quite as thoroughly or taken the concept of the cutout quite so far into previously unexplored territory as Susan Sills.” Ed McCormick, Gallery and Studio.

Sills has had 19 solo shows including at the Queens College Art Center and at the Pensacola Museum of Art, which sponsored an educational experience for 4500 children and their teachers. Her work is included in the Sylvia Sleigh collection of Women Artists at Rowan University and she is a featured artist in “100 New York Painters“ by Cynthia Dantzic. Her 2D sculptures have also been used as a set for a dance performance at the Whitney Museum.

We look forward to sharing with you these unique recreations of the old masters and more. We hope that you can come to both see the art and hear the artist talk about her creations at The Meet The Artist Saturday.

 For further information please contact

Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director

visit Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at

Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com

Interview With Marco Lando: Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art

Congratulations to Marco Lando : Featured on Al-Tiba9’s Contemporary Art Website

10 Questions with Marco Lando

Marco Lando has recently shown his work at the Studio Psacaropulo Museum in Trieste (Italy), at the Site: Brooklyn Art Gallery, and at the Viridian Artists Inc., both in New York City. In his project for the city of Ravenna (Italy), presented at the NiArt Gallery in 2020, he has adapted the ancient Byzantine mosaic tradition in photo-based compositions. He has most recently presented the same project in a personal show in 2021/2022 at the Gobbi Photo Studio Gallery in Urbino (Italy); he won the 2021 “Special Prize” for photography and digital art at the DeSidera Art Festival, was longlisted at the 2021 BBA Photography Prize in Berlin, and was a finalist at the 2016 WAC in Wells, UK.

To Read Full Interview, Please Click Here.

Press Release: "THE DARKNESS OF THIS TIME"

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"THE DARKNESS OF THIS TIME"

October 4 – October 29, 2022

Reception: Thursday, October 6, 6–8pm

masks required

Chelsea NY:  "THE DARKNESS OF THIS TIME" is the title of a collection of essays written about the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein dealing with his own pessimism about his times. Viridian Artists is pleased to present an exhibition of outstanding art by more than 70 artists who were invited to address this theme directly or indirectly in an artwork, for we, too, are confronted with much darkness of our own times.

Ludwig Wittgenstein's phrase “in the darkness of this time,” a phrase that he wrote repeatedly in his Philosophical Investigations, was the inspiration for this exhibit. We felt it was an appropriate theme at this moment in time, for there are so many discordant aspects to the darkness of today’s world: the pandemic, the evolution of politics, global warming, the loss of abortion rights, gun control, and who knows what else that may arise tomorrow. All these things and more, lead to concerns about how our future will handle the New World that is emerging from the rubble of today.

But how can art soothe and comfort when one feels powerless?  How will we get out of the Darkness? Can we? Art can be the way out for many – either from being in its presence or contributing to its creation. Googling “Darkness of This Time” yielded many surprising connections. Books, essays, letters, for many authors have written about it. Tolstoy, Wittgenstein, Kafka, Saramago and others have created theories and allegories about real and imaginary “darknesses” that forever changed their lives and their views about life. There is even a computer game called Through the Darkest of Times, described “to be as dark as it is important.”

More than 70 artists in this exhibit responded to an invitation to create or submit a past work that they felt addressed directly or indirectly the darkness, nihilism & dystopia that is affecting our lives today. The art in this exhibit is no larger than 24 inches in any direction. Half the proceeds from sales will go to charities that help alleviate some of the pain & darkness of these times and half will go to the artists.

We look forward to seeing you at this important exhibition and hope that you will find a work that helps alleviate some of the darkness of today in your world. In addition to seeing this exhibit in person, see this fascinating exhibit on the Viridian Artists website at www.viridianartists.com.

The artists included are:

Marie-Ange Hoda Ackad * Angelique Anderson * Teruko Asuguchi *Silvia Aviles *
Ayako Bando * Jenny Belin * Kerrie Bellisario * Saba Besier * Annaliese Bischoff * Carol Blum *
Fran Bull * Ellen BurneE * Gregory M. Bryant * Sabine Carlson * Irene Christensen *
May DeViney * Hisayuki Doi * Rhonda Donovan * Stefanie Eins * Katherine Elllinger Smith *
Vicki Engonopoulos * Deb Flagel * Arlene Finger * Gani * Alan Gaynor * Moira Geoffrion *
Chikako * Daisuke Hayashi * Shingo Hayamizu * Christy Hengst * Ed Herman * Halona Hilbertz *
Eri Hirano * Miho Hiranouchi * Kumi Hirose * Lynne Johnson * K. Junko * Mariko Okabayashi *
Miawko K * Yuriko Kato * Bernice Sokol Kramer * Kat King * Angela M. LaMonte *
Marco Lando * Roberta Levitow * Shawn Marshall * Lynne Mayocole * Susan Miller *
Darryl Moody * Sai A * David Murgio * Vernita Nemec * Nancy Nicol * Brett Poza *
Michael Reck * Sarah Riley * Laura Rutherford Renner * Bruce Rosen * Karen Roth *
Hiroyuki Saida *Melissa Schainker * Veronika Schmude * Frank Sheehan * Elaine Shor *
Sheila Smith *Jenifer R. Stern* C.A. STgliano * Sarah Stout * Koichi Suzuki * Misato Suzuki *
Ryuga Tenzan * Christopher T. Terry * Meredeth Turshen & Enid Braun * Victoria Webb *
Zoe Brown- Weissmann * Yukie Yasui * Larry Zdeb* and more...

For further information please contact

Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director

Visit us on Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at

Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com

PRESS RELEASE: : “EXPRESSIONS 2”

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 “EXPRESSIONS 2”

 RENEE BORKOW * RHONDA DONOVAN
STEFANIE EINS * DEB FLAGEL * KAT KING
KAZUO ISHIKAWA * VIRGINIA EVANS SMIT * CHRISTOPHER T. TERRY

 
    September 6 – October 1, 2022

                           Opening reception Thursday September 8, 6–8pm

Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present an exhibition of recent art by Renee Borkow, Rhonda Donovan, Stefanie Eins, Deb Flagel, Kat King, Kazuo Ishikawa, Virginia Evans Smit, and Christopher T. Terry. The show runs from September 6th through October 1st, 2022, with an opening reception Thursday, September 6th, 6–8pm.   

 
“EXPRESSIONS 2” is an exhibit gathering the art of 8 outstanding Viridian Artists not having a solo exhibit this season. For each, we are sharing a small selection of their works as an appetizer for the solo show some of them will have in 2023 or 2024.  All of these artists work differently, but there are connecting threads among them. Many incorporate found elements, but those who do, present them in totally different ways. Collage and construction are major components for all but the painter, but the composition of his paintings is a unique combination of reality and the still life. Both Stefanie Eins & Deb Flagel use stitching and sewing in the creation of the art, but the final results are unique. Though Christopher T. Terry and Kazuo Ishikawa both use the invisible and hidden as a beginning point for their art, Terry creates his images with paint while Ishikawa creates his by combining a variety of materials.

 
This series of collages by Renee Borkow is based on Greek mythology and the image of the Goddess, a woman at her prime who is both independent and smart. These are complex works, filled with the symbols of both feminism and femininity, not in opposition, but depicting the wide and complex range of female concerns, then and now.

 
Stefanie Eins who lives in Namibia, Southern Africa creates artworks she calls drawings that combine fragments of paper from old maps or teabags and African fabrics that she collages with elements of nature: leaves, feathers, seaweed. Her drawn line is often sewn, combining the bits she gathers into artworks which speak of her life there. Her works in this series are spontaneous reactions to moments, both experimental and playful.

 
The underlying theme of Deb Flagel’s art relates to containers and containment. How we view objects – from within, from without, and looking through – reveals societal context and perspective. Regarding the artwork, “Crosswalk Analysis” in this exhibit, the artist says “As I walk, sidewalks appear as tablets – human marks feel like text. Through photography, I observe patterns and content. My own experience becomes a narrative thread, weaving the seemingly unrelated into a story cloth.”

 
Kazuo Ishikawa finds himself always looking for hidden landscapes as he gathers together a variety of materials to create an artwork. To bring these elements to life, he makes the invisible visible to the viewer through juxtaposing the inconsistencies and complexities. Approaching his constructions from multi-dimensional perspectives, the works he creates possess complex spatial considerations that defy easy interpretations.

 
Chrisopher T. Terry’s subject matter is nearly always drawn from the objects and artifacts of everyday life which he frames, lights, and presents in a manner that focusses on what is hidden behind the everyday façade. These ordinary objects take on a new appearance as the artist creates and transforms them into a scene “both meditative and taut with expectation.” About his painting, “Silent Ceremony,” the artist says, “I present the still life as a secular altar where an ambiguous ritual takes place.”

 
Upon first seeing Rhonda Donovan’s “May I borrow a Cup of Sugar,” one might wonder how she came to give it that title, but as you look more carefully at her constructions of fragments of fabric, paper and other materials, you begin to see the stories that are hidden beneath the surface. And storytelling is what she is doing as she assembles her complex and extremely tactile compositions. Her inspiration arises from family encounters, the stories and memories that arise from everyday moments in life.

Kat King has been creating multiple interpretations of the Dragon in paintings, sculptures and mixed media works for a number of  years which involve both playful and sinister metaphorical narratives. Her early dragons were cast bronze, but more recently she has been creating fanciful dragon paintings over digital prints of which are from Ms. King's original photographic compositions. 

 
Virginia Evans Smit was a long time Viridian Artist, active until nearly the end of her life. Working primarily as a printmaker and combining various techniques in her mixed media works, she created a range of monoprints utilizing photographic transfers, lithography and relief printing as she pushed the envelope of her explorations. Calling them her visual poetry, she most often created images of the changing flora and plants of her garden in Barbados. There will be a private reception for her family and friends on Saturday, September 17.

We hope to see you at this wonderful exhibit of differing expressions.

Alan Gaynor's photography is currently on view at the Soho Photo Gallery

Alan Gaynor is exhibiting two photographs in “Picturing New York” :

Soho Photo Gallery’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition

August 17 – September 11

Click here for more information

Soho Photo Gallery

15 White Street

New York, NY 10013

212-226-8571

Press Release: New Arts Prospect: Artists from Japan Series IX, 2022 “Pieces for Peace~ what artists can do”

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         New Arts Prospect: Artists from Japan Series IX, 2022

   “Pieces for Peace~ what artists can do”

Curated by Sai Morikawa

August 8 - 20, 2022

=ARTISTS=

C’est Gentil /Chikako /Daisuke Hayashi /Eri Hirano /Gani
Hiromi Minami /Hiroyuki Saida /Hisayuki Doi /Housei Yamakawa
Ichigo Nohara /K-Junko /Ken Shiraishi /Koichi Suzuki
Mariko Okabayashi /Megumi Matsukawa /Miwako.K./Minako Ito
Misato Ando /Monzo Watanabe /Morihiro Okamoto /Motoko Ogawa
Natsuya Myoui /Rena Kasuya /Ryuga Tenzan /Shingo Fukuyama
Surhands Tanaka /Mask /Teruko Asuguchi /Shingo Hayamizu
Tomomi /Shingo Fukuyama /Yoshi Hiramitsu
Yoshihiro Kogure /Yukiko Uchida /Yuko Sato

New York is a city where the top artists of the world have long coexisted, creating much diversity of art. The series “New Arts Prospect: Artists from Japan” is currently in its ninth year.  Having started in 2014, the exhibition is already well established and attracts a lot of attention. Its purpose is to introduce popular Japanese artists who are well known and respected in Japan to new audiences in New York City.

The exhibition, held yearly in the summer, has been highly rated year after year since its inception. Its purpose is to attract art-loving New Yorkers who have a good eye for skillful work.  It will especially attract anyone who has an appreciation for the particular unique expressions behind the Japanese cultural background and it's delicate and elaborate techniques.  The artworks in the exhibition reveal a deep commitment and a high quality of artistry by their creators.

Series Number Nine is titled “Pieces for Peace: art works for peace, what artists can do”

The pandemic is showing signs of settlement, and the mask requirement has been greatly eased in New York City. Broadway has been packed every day, the city is back in full swing, and the bustle of New York's metropolis is being restored. However, just as the Corona policies became standard in NYC, the world has become shocked by the news of “War of aggression in Ukraine."

The real-time news reports of bombed-out Ukrainian cities and people fleeing the country for refuge were so disorienting that it was hard to believe that this was happening. There have been massive anti-war demonstrations in Times Square here in New York City and similar anti-war protests in other parts of the United States and Europe. The invasion that took place in February is still going on, with no end in sight.

Adding to the world’s tensions, in Japan the former Prime Minister in charge of the long-term administration was assassinated, an incident rarely seen in Japanese history, causing many people to feel a deep sadness.

People kill each other, why and for what?

This exhibition will present what we artists can do to appeal and build a peaceful society without weaponry, we will present works that express our wishes and messages for a peaceful world without war and conflict.

This is the fourth year that the New Arts Prospect artists and curator are showing at Viridian Artists Gallery in Chelsea. Established in the late 1960’s, Viridian Artists has supported outstanding, “under-known” and emerging artists for more than 50 years. After having a highly successful exhibition last August at Viridian, the artists of New Arts Prospect were again invited to exhibit at the gallery to show their most recent outpourings of creative expression and visitors will not be disappointed.

This exhibition, curated by Sai Morikawa, aims to promote and nurture the cultural exchange between Japan and the US.  This exhibition will also be a significant milestone for the participating artists as they build their artistic careers. Regardless of their career stage, these ambitious artists will be showcasing an amazing lineup of art works through which they hope to send a strong message to the world.

Alan Gaynor's Photography will be showcased in "Scenic 2022" : an international online group exhibition.

Congratulations to Alan Gaynor! This photograph will be featured in the “Scenic 2022” international online group exhibition.

The selected work is part of Gaynor’s City project and was shot in 1996 on T-Max 4”x%” film and then scanned to be finished in Photoshop.

Vernita N'Cognita will be performing at the Zürcher Gallery: Saturday, July 23 at 3PM.

Vernita N’Cognita will be performing in “Tangled Moments” at the Zürcher Gallery

with Toki Ozaki & Kazuo: Saturday, July 23rd at 3PM.

The the Zürcher Gallery is located at:

33 Bleecker St, New York, NY

Alan Gaynor: Juried winner in the New York Center for Photographic Art's' "URBAN SUBURBAN RURAL 2022" Call for Entry

Congratulations, to Alan Gaynor! "ACROSS 6TH AVENUE, NYC" has been selected by juror Richard McCabe as a Juror’s Selection in NYC4PA’s URBAN SUBURBAN RURAL 2022 call for entry.

In addition, Mr McCabe has selected "UNDER BB MAN" as an Honorable Mention.

Here is Gaynor’s statement about this project: “I began this photographic project as an outgrowth of my interest in Architecture and Urbanism.  While it has been said that architecture is frozen music, I think this series of photographs, which I call City Project, demonstrate that in a City, it is not the individual building but the urban context or layering, which most resembles music.”

Click here to view the New York Center of Photographic Art Website

Vernita Nemec: Exhibiting work in Art Fluent's online exhibit : WABI-SABI

Vernita Nemec

PS, Remember I Don't Love You
Discarded plastic packaging on rag board with paper

Vernita Nemec’s work is currently on view in WABI-SABI: an online exhibition on the Art Fluent website. Click here to view the entire exhibition.

WABI-SABI

A certain courage is exposed when life is expressed in such a blistered tone. Each piece in WABI-SABI breathes an experience that we have not quite seen collectively before. Vulnerability and confidence move through this exhibit like wisdom, becoming exposed through its scars. WABI-SABI is a Japanese term that refers to that which is impermanent, imperfect, aged, humbled, and unconventional. It is a state of mind and a way of being. It expresses a whole new world of seeing. The rawness and purity within WABI-SABI are without limit.

Press Release: Marco Lando: “Fragmentation”

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  MARCO LANDO

 “Fragmentation”

July 5th – July 30th, 2022

Opening reception : Thursday, July 7th: 6–8PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, July 16, 4–6 PM

*Face Masks are Required

Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present an exhibition of post-apocalyptic imagery by the photographer Marco Lando entitled “Fragmentation”. The show opens July 5th and continues through July 30th, 2022. You are invited to meet the artist and celebrate the opening of this exhibit on Thursday, July 7th, 6 - 8 PM & on Saturday, July 9th, 4 - 6 PM.

Marco Lando’s work is influenced by his New York theatre background. Combining existential plot lines, dramatic lighting, and surrealist stage design, the otherworldly mise-en-scenes he creates operate on a visceral, symbolic level. Always shot in black-and-white, and manipulated digitally, his imagery explores the human psyche, eschewing the rational and moral world in favor of the unconscious and instinctual. The absence of color lends a forensic quality to the uncanny nature of his subject matter and avoids pushing it into the realm of the sensational.

Hermetic figures occupy dark and moody landscapes that recall the mystical and esoteric realms of Symbolists like Odilon Redon, William Blake, and Arnold Bocklin, along with their surrealist offspring — photographers Raoul Ubac, Man Ray, and Hans Bellmer --- who manipulated the photographic medium for similar affect

The artist is presenting two projects in this exhibit which have main characteristics in common. Each have the theme of fragmentation juxtaposed with the whole: in one, there are portions of cities that dissolve and detach themselves from the earth, in the other, we have mosaic tiles crumble and then eventually merge into new forms.  Both evoke the loss of symbolic order, and in both projects we find the theme of the starry sky which gives to the show a formal and symbolic coherence.

The post-apocalyptic realm of Alchemy (2016-ongoing) presents deranged aerial scenes of the heavens where architectural images, ancient and new, float amid stormy skies and portentous moons. These stark black-and-white worlds evoke the loss of symbolic order. From twinkling skyscrapers to cold slabs of stone, these monuments to human progress are mysteriously set adrift in a cold, godless universe. Their fragmented, abstracted, and tilting forms seem to fall and rise in response to gravitational forces beyond their control. Like futuristic landscapes the nature they conjure is a fearsome one presided over by the power of the full moon. Moving through space, unmoored by gravity and purpose, they are sci-fi ruins from a defunct planet long ago forgotten.

In “Specter of Belief”, a project  sponsored by the municipal government of Ravenna that was conceived by the artist for the city, was exhibited in 2020 at the NiArt Gallery in Ravenna and in 2021 at the Gobbi Photo Studio Gallery n Urbino. Lando adapts the ancient Byzantine tradition of mosaic in photo-based compositions, referencing the renowned 5th and 6th century mosaics of Ravenna.  These fragmented, dissipating forms loom large amid dark starry skies. These constellations of half-formed, recycled powers from ancient Rome shape-shift their way through space and time, contemplating the enduring potential of myth, and offering us the “specter of belief”.

Viridian first came to know Lando’s work in our 29th International Juried Competition in which he was a Director’s Choice winner. Currently residing in Padua, Italy he is truly an international artist. Lando has shown his work at the Studio Psacaropulo Museum in Trieste (Italy), and recently at the Site: Brooklyn Art Gallery and at the Viridian Artists Inc. both in New York City. His project for the city of Ravenna (Italy), was presented at the NiArt Gallery in 2020 and most recently in a personal show in 2021/2022 at the Gobbi Photo Studio Gallery in Urbino (Italy); he won the 2021 “Special Prize” for photography and digital art at the DeSidera Art Festival, was longlisted at the 2021 BBA Photography Prize in Berlin, and was a finalist at the 2016 WAC in Wells, UK.

We look forward to sharing with you this fascinating exhibition of post-apocalyptic imagery by Marco Lando.

For further information please contact

Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director

Visit us on Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at

Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com

Irene Christensen: Exhibiting work at Galleri Schaeffersgate in Oslo, Norway

Congratulations to our new Affiliate artist, Irene Christensen! Irene will be exhibiting work in Oslo
at:

GALLERI SCHAEFFERS GATE 5

Schæffers gate 5 • Sofienberg • 0558 Oslo • NORWAY

For further information please click here

Press Release: "Anticipation"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                             Please List

“ANTICIPATION”

June 7- July 2, 2022

Opening Reception : Thursday, June 9: 6-8PM
Closing Reception: Saturday, July 2: 4–6PM

SABINE CARLSON * ARLENE FINGER * ROSEMARY LYONS * SHAWN MARSHALL  MICHAEL RECK * LAURA RUTHERFORD RENNER * KAREN ROTH

Chelsea NY: Viridian Artists is pleased to present an exhibition of outstanding art by artists who are part of Viridian Artists' Affiliate program. The show opens June 7th and continues through July 2nd, 2022 with a reception to meet the artists Thursday June 9th, 6-8PM. The artists featured in this exhibit are Sabine Carlson, Arlene Finger, Rosemary Lyons, Shawn Marshall,  Michael Reck,  Laura Rutherford Renner and Karen Roth. In addition to seeing this exhibit in person, you can view this fascinating exhibit on the Viridian Artists website at www.viridianartists.com.

Our lives continue to be on edge and it is safe to say that most everyone is anticipating better times and a return to old times, but the likelihood is that our lives are changed forever.  The artworks of the artists in this exhibit give a clue as to how their creative process has helped them to endure, reflect their concerns and anticipate solutions.

Sabine Carlson creates fanciful 12 inch square paintings on wood about the thin ice of today’s existence with her creatures traversing color landscapes on skates or floating devices so that they are ready for anything. Talking about the meanings in these works the artist states: "I strive for these encounters to exude a sense of shared displacement that leaves room to anticipate ways untenable circumstances might be changed.”

For Arlene Finger, color and line are important characteristics of her work. She feels architectural rendering, room interiors and eco-friendly ideas imitate life in her compositions.

The artist Rosemary Lyons has continued making her illuminated paintings but because of the pandemic and personal health issues found it unable to create for a year, and the work she has created since has a totally different tone. Always political in her subject matter, this series “Now that I have Your Attention”, pairs beautifully detailed illuminated paintings of vehicles with uncomfortable captions intended to reflect the anger and confusion of the moment.

Shawn Marshall’s abstract work explores our impact on the environment through an overhead lens, viewed like unearthed excavations of cities, garden ruins, gritty sidewalks, empty billboards, etc. Though worn and rough, with imprints and patterns left from human imposition, beauty still exists. As we explore the weathered layers, we find remnants known and unknown, man-made and natural, leaving us with a memory of what was, and a sense of wonder and hope about the future.

Laura Rutherford Renner enjoys painting figures engaged in the experience of their environments.  Her work has been recently described as “Bold, brave, and a true voice.” Renner states: “Capturing contemporary life snap shots in two dimensions is an exercise and a source of calm. I relish mixing pure colors, keeping my palette simple to create authentic observation. The quiet engagement of brush to palette and brush to board provides meaning for me every day”.  Laura, an occupational therapist for the past 27 years, has recently retired from this important work. She lives with her husband, their child, and their snarky, beloved cat, Lulu.

Michael Reck refers to these recent works as The Medusa Paintings. Medusa, whose hair was instead live venomous snakes, Reck uses as inspiration for his strokes of pigment snaking across the surface of the canvas, blending as they cross, becoming as unfocussed as the vision of those who gazed on Medusa and turned to stone.

 
Karen Roth’s current work consists of abstract paintings with geometric, colorful shapes set against a primarily monotoned and textured background. The movement of the shapes and colors the artist feels can be interpreted as the excitement of anticipation.

We look forward to sharing these diverse artistic responses to this strange and uncomfortable moment in time we are currently caught in as we anticipate the future. 

 For further information please contact

Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director

visit Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at

Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com

Brett Poza: Exhibiting work at the UMass Chan Medical School: Worcester, MA.

Viridian Affiliate, Brett Poza is exhibiting work at The Lamar Soutter Library at UMass Chan Medical School.

This Body of Work: “Portraits from the Inside Out” will be on display from May 3rd until the end of June.

The Lamar Soutter Library is located at: 55 Lake Ave North Worcester, MA.

Click here to read more about the show!

Congratulations, Brett!

Press Release: Bernice Faegenburg: "Water"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                          Please List

Bernice Faegenburg
“Water”
May 10–June 4, 2022

Opening reception: Thursday, May 12, 6 – 8PM
&
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 14, 4–6PM


Chelsea: Viridian Artists Inc. is pleased to present an exhibition of art by the artist Bernice Faegenburg entitled “WATER”. The show opens May 10th and continues through June 4th, 2022. You are invited to meet the artist and celebrate the openings of this exhibit on Thursday, May 12, 6 – 8 PM & on Saturday, May 14th, 4-6 PM.

 Bernice Faegenburg has been represented by Viridian Artists since 1977 and her 4 decades of art making have included a wide variety of techniques and imagery. For this exhibit, the artist has decided to focus on her lifelong love of water. Fittingly, her sign is Pisces. Living for much of her life in the Hamptons of Long Island has given her reason to create many kinds of images relating to the liquid part of earth.

            In this exhibit, the artist has elected to show both artworks from her early years as well as more recent iterations of aqueous imagery. Her earliest paintings were hard edge depictions of the reflections and distortions of the ocean’s surface. During those years she snorkeled, and scuba dived and so saw the bottom of the ocean which also has inspired much of her imagery, particularly the painting the artist calls "Underwater" that abstractly depicts the ocean's floor.

            Faegenburg’s most recent work in the show will be large canvas & mesh works with paint & collage combined with her photographs of the ocean and other bodies of water, harking back stylistically to much of the mixed media art she has created over the years as a printmaker and practitioner of Japanese brush painting.

The artist earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the Tyler School of Fine Arts at Temple University with post graduate work at the National Academy of Design, a Masters of Science degree in Art Education from CW Post College and did workshops in Asian brush painting with Okimoto, a noted Japanese American artist, among others.  She was a past president of the National Association of Woman Artists. Her art has been featured in the Zimmerli Museum, the Nassau County Museum of Art, the Parrish Museum and the Richmond Art Museum. An exhibit at the Chelsea Museum was a prize. in addition she has been invited to participate in the Biennale Internazionale Del’Arte Contemporanea in Florence, Italy on numerous occasions.

We look forward to sharing with you this fascinating collection of watery images by Bernice Faegenburg.

For further information please contact

Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director

visit Instagram @viridianartistsinc, see us on Facebook & YouTube at Viridian Artists Gallery or visit our website at viridianartists.com.

A 1998 dialogue between Vernita Nemec and former MoMA curator, Robb Storr

Before becoming director of Viridian Artists, Vernita Nemec (aka Vernita N'Cognita) was the executive director of ArtistsTalkOnArt in Soho. While there she instigated interviews & dialogs with important artworld figures. Hoping that you enjoy this look back at ArtWorld History!

"As a part of their ongoing “Legacy Series”, ArtistsTalkOnArt is re-broadcasting a 1998 dialogue between performance artist and former ATOA executive director, Vernita Nemec and former MoMA curator, Robb Storr."