Out Front

 

Alan Singer delivers his Artist Talk

at

MuCCC, 142 Atlantic Avenue

Rochester, New York

My readers will note that I have a new exhibition open at MuCCC,  here in Rochester, and on Saturday, November 12th there was an audience for my artist talk.  Kevin Indovino set up a large screen and I proceeded with my comments in a Power Point presentation.  You can listen to the talk now posted to You Tube, and here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV4jA_5eUwY&t=30s

My show runs through to the end of December, and if you have not had a chance to see it in person, just know that this exhibit is of my recent abstractions which tend toward the geometric and are very colorful!

This is a select group of paintings that reflects my interests in composition, and also in the use of applied mathematics created on my laptop.  There are also several references to landscape and also to figuration especially in my painting that I call: "Dear Theo".  Actually, that painting came to me after reading the letters of Vincent Van Gogh and considering the strength of his portraiture, and so I tried to make a version using geometry and composition in oil paint.

After my talk there are some very astute questions coming from the audience members and I try my best to answer and reflect on my process.  In my talk I do spend a bit of time going over features in my background which includes work I have done as an illustrator and I  show some samples of books I have published, and talk a bit about how they were done and under what circumstances.  Most of all before I came to Rochester to teach at R.I.T. I was an artist in New York City and publishing was my gig.  I still am interested in books and have always  enjoyed the creative storytelling methods which probably leads me to once again thank you all for taking the time to read my posts!

State Of Mind

 

Alan Singer: "Recent Artwork" with

Kevin Indovino at MuCCC

Multi-use Community Cultural Center

142 Atlantic Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Back from our short trip to New York City, I am now prepared to walk into an art gallery and enter into a dialogue.  Because of the pandemic we had a long period where we did not socialize and I tried to protect myself and my loved ones as best I could.  But I missed the impact that art can have on my psyche!  I really enjoy the times when I am moved by what I see and hear!

"Who On Earth" oil on canvas

by Alan Singer

I am willing to provide some of that inspiration, and so I have mounted a small show of brand new artwork that I have created - mostly paintings made since I retired from teaching at Rochester Institute of Technology.  I was invited to join forces with the folks at MuCCC ( Multi-use Community Cultural Center ) located at 142 Atlantic Avenue in Rochester, NY.

Kevin Indovino is the gallery manager there ( as well as being a multi-dimensional player at WXXI ) and you see him at the top of the blog post helping me hang the show.  My exhibit was made with geometry in mind and bright color that I hope is pleasing this season!  Coming on Saturday, November 12th at 4pm in the afternoon I will be giving an artist's talk about the development of the work on view. Check out their website: https://www.muccc.org 

As the season turns from Fall to Winter it think it is time to go out and see something that will stimulate the soul and I can recommend shows being held downtown including one at the R.I.T. City ArtSpace near the Liberty Pole in Rochester.  This show is called: "Elemental" featuring films made by the artist Ana Mendieta.  Ana Mendieta is present in the films you see projected on the gallery walls making this show quite unique.

John Aasp gallery director introduces Raquel Cecilia at

RIT City ArtSpace

I was lucky to have heard a talk given by Raquel Cecilia who is a film-maker and relative of Ana Mendieta.  Raquel is in charge of the Mendieta Estate and she is also responsible for taking great care of the films that Ana Mendieta made during her career.  I was aware of the artist Ana Mendieta during the 1970s and 1980s but recently it has been difficult to find her work and if you see these films you can begin to understand why this has happened.

Ana Mendieta ( 1948-1985 )  in "Elemental" at RIT City ArtSpace

260 East Main Street, Rochester, NY

Ana Mendieta is known for her sculpture and she would call her artwork "an experience".  Mendieta was a multi-media artist

and I would say that her artwork takes me back to a time when artists invited an audience to "a happening".  At this kind of event visual art becomes very involved with theatre and the feeling that will arouse the viewer is hard to qualify or quantify.  Ana Mendieta's art goes towards the elemental ( hence the title of the show ) and she is engaged in making dimensional art that involves her body, heart and mind.

https://www.muccc.org

State of the City, at RoCo

I am a member of RoCo and part of the contemporary art scene, and now they have a show that reaches out to an audience who want to know more about this city of Rochester.  Emiliano Diaz has strong architectural paintings of buildings that you might recognize, and along the long wall there is a work in progress including portrait drawings, but the things I was most moved by are the stories that accompany photos of the murals that have been going up in the city for the past decade. 

Emiliano Diaz at RoCo

Wall/Therapy is a project that has been fostered by many artists who have made  Rochester a real destination.  These images have a real impact.  Go see "State of the City" and let it stimulate you too!  I think this part of the exhibition stimulates a very valuable dialogue, and gets you to think about how visual art can play a major role in our lives; even as we walk down city streets!......

Mural by Bones and Erich Lehman expresses himself.... at RoCo