On Thursday September 29, Artyze Gallery hosted an exhibition entitled, “French Colour Bleu Blanc Rouge,” in partnership with Holy Land Wines Co. The works on display that night, were created by the French Algerian artist Yaz, and Javanese artist Ogut, who also collaborated on a number of pieces in the collection. On one hand Yaz’s work is bold, featuring bright colors, dramatic brush strokes and chaotic compositions. On the other hand, Ogut’s canvasses are softer on the eye, as the artist uses color selectively, preferring to let spatial relationships and texture define his work. Stylistically, the oeuvres of these two artists differ a great deal. Despite those stylistic disparities, the two bodies of work resonate with one another when shown in the same space. This unity stems from both artists’ commitment to experimenting with mixed media. Yaz’s work takes many forms and is informed by an array of cultural referents. At Artyze, Yaz is showing paintings, sculptures and pieces landing somewhere between the two mediums. His paintings are a visual puzzle, with many layers to unpack. The artist has traveled a great deal, and his work parallels that adventurous spirit. The artist begins with an image, perhaps a photograph from his travels, a classical painting, or portraits of recognizable public figures. He then adds to the implied meaning of these images with his own brush strokes and painted text. Yaz’s painting style, with haphazard, unrefined strokes and drips, is reminiscent of the street art techniques once employed by the late Jean Michel Basquiat. The artist’s vibrant color palette evokes positive energy, amplified by inspirational text on the canvas. Writing phrases in French and English, the artist conveys his drive to succeed. The piece entitled Sac des desirs reads, “Le sac de desir n’a pas de fond,” or “The sack of desire has no bottom.” Another reads, “I must be the greatest,” painted over a photo of boxing’s greatest champ, Muhammed Ali. These phrases and images reveal the artist’s passion for his craft, and inspire patrons to live their lives with the same zeal.
While Yaz’s work conveys excitement through chaos, Ogut’s work emphasizes the subtlety of movement in a single moment. Line, texture and the interactions between positive and negative space breathe life into his portraits. Among his works displayed at Artyze, are portrayals of both humans and animals, caught mid-movement. Depicting these figures from the neck up, the artist creates realistic depictions of life with very little. The artist builds these forms with with carefully placed lines and shapes in shades of black and grey on white canvas. He then brings in metallic foil and paint, creating texture and focusing the viewer’s eye on his subject. The piece entitled, Hey! features a woman leering back at the viewer over her shoulder. The bronze foil used to depict her hair, encircles and highlights her stern visage. The lines of her face and body are amplified by the empty space around her, and invite the viewer into an intense but fleeting moment alongside the subject. In collaboration these artists’ styles compliment one another, creating texture with paint and foil that brings tactility to the canvas and the figures represented. Yaz’s work encourages the viewer to persevere and explore, while Ogut’s keen eye for subtle movement focuses those broad aspirations into solitary moments in time. To enjoy these works and more please visit Artyze, located at 8 On Wo Lane, 2F, Central District Hong Kong.