Jay Davis, Dust-primary, 2012, Acrylic on paper, 30" x 22"
JAY DAVIS
Mirage
March 2 – 31, 2012
Opening reception: Friday, March 2, 5:00-7:00 PM
130 Lincoln Avenue, Suite D, Santa Fe, NM 87501
p 505-983-9555 | f 505-983-1284 | www.DavidRichardContemporary.com
David Richard Contemporary is pleased to present Mirage, a selection of new acrylic mixed media paintings on paper by Jay Davis. The sizes range from 14.5 x 11.5 inches up to 30 x 22 inches and are mostly presented in pairs, opposing one another as one is mounted on a black mat with black frame and the other on white mat with white frame. The mixed media pieces, comprised of a combination of acrylic, gouache, watercolor, ink, and colored pencil are sized a bit smaller than those painted with acrylic only.
As the title "Mirage" implies, the work offers the viewer a glimpse into an image/place/object, leaving the balance to be filled in or extrapolated from the base of what is given. Sometimes the glimpse is a reference to the familiar—Aztec and Native American patterns, geodes, tires, temples, simple photograms, photo color tests, doorways or portals, magic carpets—sometimes the work is an artifice of an image, or a state of seeing that image, such as that which occurs with night blindness, light blindness (a blackout or staring at the sun), or pareidolia (the imagined perception of seeing a face, a pattern or someone you know, but it does not really exist). All of this work has mystery built into it—in the image and in the method it was conceived and executed. It provides an interaction that reflects both the simplicity and complexity of our physical and psychological spaces, and our malleable relation to the world around us.
This new work is in contrast to Davis’ earlier paintings which were extremely detailed and imaginative with layers of saturated hues of acrylic paint built up to a pristine flat surface on vinyl or canvas. The earlier work contained more representational elements, yet they were equally abstract with illusionistic overlays that seemed dream-like, taking the viewer on a psychedelic journey that required their active participation to create the narrative.
Born 1975 in Charleston, SC, he now lives and works in New York. Since 2000, he has had over a dozen solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and Santa Fe at Mary Boone Gallery, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, CTRL Gallery, Stefan Stux Gallery and David Richard Contemporary. He has also participated in over 40 group exhibitions in the US and internationally, including the Prague Biennale. Davis’ work is included in the Saatchi Collection, Progressive Art Collection and JP Morgan Chase Collection.
David Richard Contemporary is located in downtown Santa Fe north of the historic plaza and specializes in Post-War American abstract art including Abstract Expressionism, Color Field, geometric, hard-edged, Op, Pop and Minimalism in a variety of media. Featuring both historic and contemporary artwork, the gallery represents many established mid to late-career artists who were part of important art historical movements and tendencies that occurred during the 1950s through the 1980s on both the east and west coasts. The gallery also represents artist estates, emerging artists and offers secondary market works.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM
For additional information please contact: David Eichholtz d@DavidRichardContemporary.com