SERGOTT CONTEMPORARY ART SPECTRUM MIAMI 2017 CATALOGUE
INTRODUCTION Established in 2012 by Thomas Sergott, Sergott Contemporary Art presents two divisions focusing on works by local, bi-national (Northern Mexico & Southern California) artists, Latin American artists and international photo-based artists. The gallery presents a rotating schedule of exhibitions and participates in numerous art fairs throughout the year. We are open by appointment only in Rancho Santa Fe, California. http://www.sergottart.com
ARTISTS Tania Alcala Joseph Caroff Einar & Jamex De La Torre Pat Gainor Emily Halpern Beliz Iristay Al Johnson Mauricio Garrido Jeffery Laudenslager Echo Lew Anne Meyers Marco Miranda Maidy Morhous Hung Viet Nguyen Shinpei Takeda
Image: Tania Alcala, Union Sagrada, 2017. Mixed media on wood panel, resin coat. 64” x 48” x 3”
Tania Alcala U.S.A.
Tania Alcala transforms brightly hued acrylic paint into large abstract artworks—one-of-a-kind jewel colored paintings that she meticulously coats with resin acting like a mirror's reflecting surface. "Spirit Lines" are in the background of her work, creating past, present and future in a tapestry of flow and movement representing that, everything in the world, and everything in the person is connected. The Mexico City born artist is influenced in her work by the colors of her native country, and she uses these with creative abandon. She is enchanted by her country’s folklore and by its Mexican markets. “Working this way is very freeing, “she says. As she embraced abstraction, she became captivated with artists Mark Rothko, Robert Rauschenberg, and William De Kooning. She looked to them for inspiration in her use of color, freedom of expression, shapes and forms. Alcala approaches each of her paintings in a meditative state. Beginning with a large wood panel— which she uses as her canvas—she spreads various tubes of paint around her until, “the colors intuitively pull me in,” as she says. She applies wide swaths of paint to each panel, one color after another, maintaining the purity of the various hues, then blends the edges of the colors.
Union Sagrada, 2017 Mixed media on wood panel, resin coat 64” x 48” x 3”
Joe Caroff b. U.S.A.
“Caroff’s work is about the vital inner world of the artist as well as a response to the broader world and current events. Often suggestive narrative elements seep into abstract forms. Color accents the monochromatic. Forms define negative and positive space. Lines interface and rise from the surface. Through his work, Joe Caroff strives to unify diverse aesthetics and influences to create a unique internal harmony. His intuitive process – guided by the interaction between line, color and space – defines the direction of each work as it evolves.” – Tracy L. Adler, Director of the Ruth and Elmer Wlin Museum of Art
The Matron, 2005 mixed media 29” x 24.5” x 1.25” (framed)
De La Torre Brothers b. Mexico, lives and works in both Mexico and the U.S.A.
“Brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre were born in Guadalajara, México (1963 & 1960), where they grew up until a sudden family move to California in 1972. They are presently living and working on both sides of the border with studios in Ensenada, Mexico and San Diego, California. Jamex started flame-working glass in 1977, attended California State University at Long Beach, and received a BFA in Sculpture in 1983. Einar started work with glass in 1980, while also attending California State University at Long Beach. In the 1980s, they ran a flame-worked glass figure business while also developing their assemblage style of work. In the early 90s, they began working collaboratively as studio artists; later in the decade, they began work in installation art with participations in Biennales such as inSITE and Mercosul (Brazil). In the year 2000, the brothers began their work in public art; they now have six major projects completed. They have exhibited their work internationally, participating in exhibits in France, Japan, Canada, Germany, Venezuela, and Brazil, as well as the US and Mexico.” –Mindy Solomon Gallery
Wellness Mandala, 2017 Lenticular print, 13/20, aluminum frame, signed 23" x 23” x 1"
Pat Gainor U.S.A
"I love to manipulate the paint and find unique ways to use colors, shapes, textures and line to convey an idea or emotion. One of my series is based on the “M” theory espoused by Stephen Hawking. It contends that all matter and energy is composed of vibrating strings which can expand into membranes (branes). As these vibrating forces collide they create a break or wormhole leading into another dimension. This series (in Gallery 2, line 2) is my artistic impression to capture that thrilling and unfathomable moment of breakthrough. The goal of my art is to elicit an emotional response from the spectator. To further involve the viewer I often leave out a piece of the puzzle so it is open to personal interpretation."
Genesis, 2017 Mixed media 60” x 48”
Emily Halpern b. U.S.A.
“My paintings map my inner world. My process seeks to open the locked door of the unconscious through methods suggested by Surrealism. I use a square format that negates hierarchical narrative composition, whether top-to-bottom or left-to-right. As I work, I frequently rotate the canvas in order to disorient the view, helping new directions emerge and facilitating my stream of consciousness approach. Color is used to reconstruct different moods and to connect to fragmentary, cryptic narratives. My goal is to create "nowhere" spaces with an absence of horizon lines and populated by what psychoanalyst Carl Jung referred to as archetypal imagery such as flying and floating contraptions, rocks and snakes. The mark varies from heavy and textural to a light touch befitting the content of the piece. My intention is to engage by slipping away, leaving gaps for viewers to fill as a springboard for their own imaginations.” – Artist Statement
Falling in Love with Icarus, 2016 Mixed media, resin 16” x 16”
Tightrope Walking for People with Complicated Lives, 2016 Mixed media, resin 16” x 16”
Beliz Iristay b. Turkey, lives and works in Mexico and U.S.A.
Born in Izmir,Turkey, Iristay graduated from Dokuz Eylul Fine Art University with a focus on Turkish Ceramics Arts. She moved to both USA and Mexico in 2005. In her work, Beliz often uses the venerable traditions of her home country(s) and combines them with contemporary techniques. She collects the subject materials for her work from the traditions and politics of the countries she is living in. Iristay now passes on her ceramic knowledge by teaching in her studio in EnsenadaMexico. As an artist, she continues to explore new ways to develop her work in different forms. Iristay has shown her work internationally in Usa,Turkey and Mexico. She has been nominated for several arts grants and public art projects in San Diego, CA, as well as in Izmir,Turkey. Currently, she lives in two locations: Baja California, Mexico and in San Diego, California with her family.
El Luca Libre 2017 Low fired slip cast clay, handpainted acrylics, gold leaf, la bolsa de agua caliente 7” x 7” x 14”
Al Johnson U.S.A
Al Johnson, illustrator, fine artist, educator and mentor has developed an artistic style that captures the classical, weaves it with the contemporary to create bodies of work that exemplifies his individual style. Spiritually connected to his work, his mix of color and shapes through abstract expressionism allows the viewer to interpret what they see and feel. While formally trained in the techniques of the great masters, Johnson honed these skills while attending famed institutions such as Pratt Institute, the Albert Pale School of Commercial Arts and the Arts Student League, constantly challenging the creative force within. Johnson most recently exhibited in the Maison des Arts Gallery located LeBacares, France where his “New Yorkers” exhibition was widely received by the residents of the south of France. The 40+ paintings in this show will also be on tour in five major cities in France. His work has also been shown at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum in Japan, the Guangzhou International Art Fair in China, countless galleries in New York and other major cities within the United States.
Escapism, 2017 Mixed media on canvas 36” x 36”
As Luck be Denied, 2017 Mixed media on masonite 15” x 15”
Shakespearean Cowboy, 2017 Mixed media on masonite 15” x 15”
Where To Go From Here, 2017 Mixed media on masonite 15” x 15”
Mauricio Garrido b. Chile
The world of the visual artist Mauricio Garrido is surrealist, exuberant, complex and dark all at the same time. The majority of the time, his work has been categorized as neo-Baroque and takes on various forms of expression, such as sculpture, collage, textiles and video art. His work reviews codes of representation throughout the history of art, and is particularly centered on the figure as allegory as a method of synthesized narration. The idea of found materials has been present as a way of transitioning towards an existence of a visual operandi. His work is made from the collection of found papers in the diverse regions of the world where he has travelled especially to find them. Recently, those papers were collected by the world and his art took the form of a trip. His artwork has been exhibited in Europe, Asia and Latin America and can be found in important public and private collections. He is currently preparing a monumental showing of his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chile (MAC Quinta Normal).
Calypso, 2015 Collage 44� x 32.5�
Jeffery Laudenslager b. U.S.A.
“The work I do today is kinetic sculpture that consists of geometric shapes which are joined and balanced so that wind alone will activate them. And there is a sort of history to the development of this current work. I began using the figure as a basis of early work and that quickly became quite abstract, but the gestural, human qualities remained. An extended period of "illusionist" sculptures played with masses that defied gravity and retained a bit of narrative quality to them as well. I became increasingly interested in the levitating appearance of discreet parts that made up the entire sculpture. I wanted to see things float and move. My last 15 years of artistic production have been devoted to making my art practice as precise, visually satisfying, seductive and, well, yes, beautiful as I can achieve.” – Artist Statement
OVAL RIPPLES, 2016. Stainless steel and titanium, 98.4" x 50.64"
Echo Lew b. Taiwan
“After several hours of preparation, I use just a single shot to complete each image. During an exposure time of approximately one minute, I manipulate lights in front of the camera to create ‘Light Drawings.’ Sometimes I invert the positive image to a negative one on a computer but otherwise the ‘Light Drawings’ are not manipulated. Sometimes I put the same positive and negative images side-by-side in the finished piece. . . I became curious about the effects of lights in motion. Could this become the basis of a new kind of drawing? I experimented with cameras and lights until I was able to spontaneously tap into decades of drawing experience while the camera’s shutter was open, bringing life to a series of ‘Light Drawings.’ The technique originated in 1914 when scientists Frank and Lillian Gilbreth used small lights and an open shutter to track the motions of factory workers. My light drawings are inspired by Jackson Pollock and Cy Twombly, whose paintings are composed with spontaneous actions, performances traced in time. I have been an abstract painter for many years, concerned with line, shape, composition and concept. Digital photography allows me to expand creatively while using an ultracontemporary medium with limitless potential. Art for me is an experimental adventure, a profound form of play.” – Artist Statement
Silent and Peace, 2017 Mixed media 38” x 57”
Anne Meyers b. U.S.A.
As a NYC born, Miami-based lawyer and artist, nature inspires Anne Meyers' creations. Through her brush strokes and application techniques, she hopes that you too can find beauty, inspiration, and tranquility through her artwork.
Turquoise Current 2017 Acrylic and gouache on watercolor paper 28� x 35.5�
Marco Miranda Originally from Hermosillo, Sonora, a graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Sonora majoring in Printmaking. From a young age he has made plásticasu profession and life, always led by the great desire for experimentation and mixtures, very evident in his work. Filing in Baja California since 2004, when incursions into pictorial elámbito, currently works full time in his studio in one Mexicali, with the representation of galleries in Tijuana and Los Angeles, CA.
Paisajes Intervenidos V, 2017 Mixed media/plexiglass 24” x 42”
Maidy Morhous b. U.S.A.
An accomplished printmaker as well as sculptor Maidy Morhous was born in Upstate New York. She currently creates out of her studio in Del Mar thirty minutes north of San Diego, California. Morhous received her Master of Fine Arts degree while continuing studies at Stanley Hayter’s Atelier 17 in Paris, France in the mid-1970’s. Before returning to the States she traveled to Italy to study casting techniques at the Marinelli Foundry, in Florence. Morhous became fascinated with how bronze; a cold hard metal could take on such a soft sensuous appearance, and has since worked exclusively with bronze as her form of creative expression.
Doctor’s Orders!, 2016 Bronze 12” x 6” x 5”
Hung Viet Nguyen b. Vietnam, lives and works in U.S.A.
Hung Viet Nguyen was born in Vietnam in 1957. He studied Biology at Science University in Saigon, Vietnam, then transitioned to working as an illustrator, graphic artist and designer since settlement in the U.S. in 1982. He developed his artistry skills independently, studying many traditional Eastern and Western forms, media and techniques. Nguyen’s complex, labor intensive investigations of oil paint reveal a methodical mastery of texture. While portions of Nguyen’s work suggest the influence of many traditional art forms including woodblock prints, Oriental scroll paintings, ceramic art, mosaic, and stained glass, his ultimate expression asserts a contemporary pedigree.
Sacred Landscape II #20, 2016 Oil on canvas 24” x 30”
Shinpei Takeda Shinpei Takeda is a visual artist and filmmaker. His works involve a wide range of themes regarding memories and history. He uses multi-media installations, sound interventions, documentary films, large-scale photography installations, and collaborative community projects in various public contexts. Shinpei is also a Founder and Creative Director of The AJA Project, a nonprofit dedicated to working with resettled refugee children in San Diego and displaced youth in Colombia and Thailand using a participatory photography. As a documentary filmmaker he works on films with diverse topics including pre-WWII Japanese immigration to Tijuana, Mexico and the atomic bomb survivors living in the Americas (Atopus Studio). As an artist, he creates site-specific installations / interventions such as an outdoor urban photo montage in collaboration with the community, or visual installations on floor of a gallery. As a performance artist, he directs Ghost Magnet Roach Motel, a noise performance unit from Tijuana, Mexico.
Trinity 72 years after, 2017 Acryl on canvas 71� x 83�
P.O. Box #239 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 (858) 756-2377 sergottart.com info@sergottart.com