The artist laura owens has released an official statement about the art space 356 s. Widely recognised for her use of both cultural and art historical references and ability to create across such movements as figuration, pop art and abstraction, laura owens is a painter whose influences range from henri matisse to cartoon characters, creating work that often. She seems to split the difference in both cases, finishing works of perfect. Laura owens was the artist s first monographic museum survey, consisting of approximately forty paintings and works on paper created between 1997 and 2003. Laura owens, untitled, 2009, acrylic, oil, and charcoal on linen, 20 x 18 inches. Laura owens speaks volumes with her matthew marks gallery show. Laura owens art monographs and museum exhibition catalogs. Laura owens once said of more doctrinaire painters that the weight of art history is what gets youthat crusty, stodgy feeling, when you look at a work of art and you feel that the person hasnt stepped outside, hasnt looked in other wings of the met, hasnt gone to a natural history museum. Since then the space has continued to exhibit work by other artists and is also the site of ooga boogas second.
Using bright, colorinfused imagery that depicts landscapes, couples kissing, blooming flowers, and dogs howling at the moon, owens is something of a modern day john william waterhouse. Laura owens responds to antigentrification protests of. Laura owens is among a select group of artists credited with the rebirth of american painting. The exhibition, which also includes a number of loans from local private collections, highlights the evolution of her art over the past few years, showing how the early work sets the stage. Artist laura owens makes books unlike any other books youve seen. A catalogue documenting the exhibition ten paintings, cca wattis institute for contemporary arts, san. Her deceptively romanticnaive visual language dissolves distinctions between abstract and figurative art, and. However, one of owenss paintings in this show is straight up blackandwhite, and another is black, white, and red all over. Dec 22, 2017 laura owens, untitled, 2009, acrylic, oil, and charcoal on linen, 20 x 18 inches.
The feeling washed away the moment i walked into the cavernous space behind a small store of art books. Working mostly in paint, owens compositions are often reminiscent. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. Artistrun space 356 mission is leaving boyle heights. Mar 30, 2018 artist laura owens in march 20 with works that were part of her 12 paintings series displayed in the studioexhibition space that became 356 mission. The show, 12 paintings, installed on a dramatic scale with the. Her bold and experimental work challenges traditional assumptions about figuration and abstraction, as well as the relationships among avantgarde art, craft, pop culture, and. Known for her largescale mixed media paintings, she incorporates a mix of art historical and cultural references in a wry yet sincere manner. This book documents 356 missions inaugural exhibition by laura owens in january 20. Prior to the shows opening, owens used the converted warehouse space as her studio for many months to produce several largescale bodies of paintings including the twelve that were in this show. Laura owens is a young artist, born in 1970, who as holland cotter wrote in the new york times has a reputation as an influential artist, a role model for other, even younger american artists. Laura owens books and tables at matthew marks gallery duration. The work is all over the map, but owenss primary interest lies in fusing craft, doodling. Owens book, 12 paintings, published by ooga booga press, was recently released.
The art of etching at crown point press, bobbie greenfield gallery, santa monica, california cat. American folk art, japanese landscape, childrensbook illustration. Courtesy sadie coles and the artist another notable work is a largescale, ninepanel piece untitled 2011, which spreads a single composition over nearly all the canvases with a single panel left raw. Buy and sell signed multiples and original paintings at fair prices on llery.
Laura owens 12 paintings glowing like neon fog bouncing off sterile white walls, the twelvefoot tall canvases make murals of color, bringing life to an austere downtown industrial warehouse. As a stylist and culture critic, owens is neither a stonecold killer nor a gleeful nihilist, traits embraced by some of her peers. Contradictions should be appreciated for letting change emerge. Feb 25, 20 laura owens 12 paintings glowing like neon fog bouncing off sterile white walls, the twelvefoot tall canvases make murals of color, bringing life to an austere downtown industrial warehouse. Art in the age of the internet, 1989 to today, institute for contemporary art, boston, massachusetts cat. Las art community and activists react to the closing of. She is best known for largescale paintings that combine a variety of art historical references and painterly techniques.
Widely recognised for her use of both cultural and art historical references and ability to create across such movements as figuration, pop art and abstraction, laura owens is a painter whose influences range from henri matisse to cartoon characters, creating work that. At 664 pages, owens, laura is a statement coffeetable book, with critical essays, the artists personal correspondence, photographs, clippings, and anecdotes written by friends. From whitney museum of american art, laura owens, untitled 2012, acrylic, oil, vinyl paint, resin, pumice, and fabric on canvas, 274. A set of 54 small clock paintings owens made in 2011. I often refer to myself as being in perpetual student mode, teaching myself to make the painting i. Nov 14, 2017 the artist laura owens has released an official statement about the art space 356 s. Nov 14, 2017 the inaugural exhibition at 356 mission, featuring largescale paintings by laura owens via wikimedia commons owens went on to accuse the protesters of intimidating and threatening gallery staff. In 20, turned her studio work space into an exhibition space called 356 mission, in collaboration with art dealer, gavin brown, and. Twelve paintings hardcover 2014 by laura owens author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The work is playful and painterly often referencing the points where digital and analog intersect. Prior to the shows opening, owens used the converted warehouse. Owenss big paintings shrink the viewer down, returning us to that grasshoppers vantage point established at the outset of her career in untitled 1995, before her recent canvases of cats and cartoon figures cribbed from 1970s childrens storybooks. The inaugural exhibition at 356 mission, featuring largescale paintings by laura owens via wikimedia commonsowens went on to accuse the protesters of intimidating and threatening gallery staff. This is the big theme of laura owenss tremendous midcareer survey at the whitney museum of american art in new york.
Essential painting, national museum of art osaka, japan cat. Laura owens is an influential contemporary american painter. Laura owens is on view at the whitney until february 4, 2018. An installation view of laura owens 12 paintings at the 356 s. Nov 10, 2017 created in close collaboration with the artist, this inventive and expansive book features an incisive introduction by scott rothkopf, critical essays, literary texts, and short commentaries on a variety of subjects related to owenss broad interests. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle. Mary lucier new installation works by corina larkin. Her work is recognizable from its pop color palette and deep sense of experimentation. In front of me i saw 12 enormous laura owens paintings. The work is all over the map, but owenss primary interest lies in. Margherita manzelli, aleksandra mir, laura owens, alessandro pessoli, danica phelps, studio guenzani, milan, italy. In more recent work, that view might be better understood as a childs, given the importance of motherhood to the artists practice.
A detail from an untitled seascape in laura owenss midcareer survey at the whitney museum of american art. Laura owens, the most comprehensive exhibition of the artists 20year career, will feature over 60 paintings and objects from the mid1990s until today. It comes in the wake of a recent protest of her midcareer survey at the whitney museum of american art in which activists called attention to the complicity of mission rd. Aleksandra mir, laura owens, alessandro pessoli, danica phelps. Join facebook to connect with laura owens and others you may know. Trompe loeil shadows fall under the real shadows cast by thick impasto and digital brushstrokes float on the surface alongside actual oil, acrylic and flashe paint. Artist laura owens in march 20 with works that were part of her 12 paintings series displayed in the studioexhibition space that became 356 mission. While messing around with the procedures of painting for the past 20orso years, laura owens has rebuilt the category of painting into something not to be. Laura owenss ten paintings her first solo institutional show in the us since 2004occupies both of the gallery spaces at the wattis institute with a multimedia exhibition that asks viewers to consider the imperceptible or undisclosed. I had seen and admired her work in books and online many times over the last two years. Dec 06, 2019 laura owens books and tables installation is at matthew marks gallery through jan. Laura owens retrospective coming to the whitney the new. Claycoated wallpaper, museum board, waxed thread, flashe, screen printing inks, charcoal, sand, coptic binding, x 12 x. She is known for largescale paintings that combine a variety of art historical references and painterly techniques.
Ten paintings cca wattis institute kent and vicki logan galleries 360 kansas street san francisco, ca 94103 april 28 july 23, 2016. Laura owenss ten paintings her first solo institutional show in the us since 2004occupies both of the gallery spaces at the wattis institute with a multimedia exhibition that asks viewers to consider the imperceptible or. Artist laura owens makes books unlike any other books. Laura owens born 1970 is an american painter, gallery owner and educator. Learn about the artist and find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks, the latest news, and sold auction prices. More recently, she has charted a dramatic transformation in her work, marshaling all of her previous interests and talents within largescale paintings that make virtuosic use of silkscreen, computer manipulation, digital printing, and material exploration. This 2009 painting pairs lurid tones of purples and pinks with clunky white waves.
Working mostly in paint, owens compositions are often reminiscent of the wide. Inherent structure, wexner center for the arts, columbus, ohio vampires kiss, aspect ratio, chicago, illinois the mechanics of fluids, marianne boesky. Laura owens is a painter and installation artist very firmly practicing in the tradition of the postconceptual art generation. Laura owens responds to antigentrification protests of her. Both are like a newspaper in that their blownup graphic marksespecially the supersized red hearts in the latter that look like they were made with a extraextrafat magic markerestablish the paintingasatext. Contributed by sharon butler laura owenss midcareer survey at the whitney museum features more than 60 paintings, many largescale and hung salonstyle, from the mid1990s until today. Jul 21, 2010 laura owens is a young artist, born in 1970, who as holland cotter wrote in the new york times has a reputation as an influential artist, a role model for other, even younger american artists. Her exuberant, bracing midcareer survey at the whitney beams a positive, cando energy. She has developed a style all her own, moving from landscape to abstraction in energetic thick brushstrokes, fanciful childlike doodles, or sophisticated fine line drawings. Laura owenss paintings can make you ponder the difference between irony and ambivalence. The comedic beauty of laura owenss work the new york times. The radical paintings of laura owens the new yorker.
Oct 25, 2017 the 6 books you need to read in november. Laura owens books and tables installation is at matthew marks gallery through jan. Shes an art lover, an enthusiast who approaches the. Laura owenss paintings place these digitally edited newspaper pages ambiguously between the foreground and background of an unstable pictorial space. Laura owens paintings, which have run the gamut from abstraction and landscape to figuration, demonstrate a shrewd awareness of form, color, and line. Laura owens, 2003 essays by thomas lawson and paul schimmel. Nov 11, 2018 more recently, she has charted a dramatic transformation in her work, marshaling all of her previous interests and talents within largescale paintings that make virtuosic use of silkscreen, computer manipulation, digital printing, and material exploration. Shes an art lover, an enthusiast who approaches the problem of. Andrews recently staged a performance at the whitney. Laura owens is organized by the whitney museum of american art, new york. Painting, poetry, and politics in 17thcentury china by ann mccoy. Since childhood, she has grounded her life in being an artist. Since then the space has continued to exhibit work by other artists and is also the site of ooga. Nov 16, 2017 a detail from an untitled seascape in laura owenss midcareer survey at the whitney museum of american art.
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