Color in New York: Lawrence Kelsey, Derek Reist & Assunta Sera    May 8 - Jun 12, 2004

The Michael Ingbar Gallery of Architectural Art presents Color in New York: Lawrence Kelsey, Derek Reist, & Assunta Sera, a group exhibition featuring three of our gallery artists that runs from May 8 – June 12, 2004.

New York City is a metropolis in complete flux and continually reinventing itself. Whether the re-inventions be a physical manifestation or an abstract overall mood of the city, an artist has the unique responsibility to reflect and interpret these modifications. This exhibition explores and reveals the many ways to interpret the city’s splendor and personality.

From quiet vignettes that burst softly with energy, to large-sized canvases that spill over with color, to the meticulously rendered painterly strokes that yield submissively to light’s expanse, this exhibit, not only connotes the vigor of New York City, but translates its syncopated rhythms into a visual playground of thought.

The skyline of New York City is the muse that occupies many of Lawrence Kelsey’s canvases. As the skyline mutates through the shifts of the morning sun, and the appearance of the elusive moon, Kelsey utilizes these changes into a lexicon all his own. One is not transposed into the picture plane as typically achieved in conventional views of Manhattan, more accurately one is transfixed by the evocative moods of a transference of time and space that are achieved.

It may seem appealing to simply refer to Derek Reist’s work as a exploration in the effects of light. Ultimately, this view may limit and confine its potential upon reinvestigation. On the surface, his canvases bask in the seemingly illusionary and elusive nature of light, yet more importantly -emotionally- what this produces is a canvas that distills the tension of the interplay of time, light and space.

Assunta Sera’s work ranges from large canvases, some towering over seven feet high, to intimate-size pieces measuring one foot square. Sera’s work is an energy-driven exercise in expressionism. Typically, Sera paints soaring overhead views to create a perspective that illuminates and dazzles the viewer.

It is our goal as a gallery to explore architecture from an artistic standpoint, focusing on its value as a creative expression. Our efforts have primarily been aimed at heightening public awareness and appreciation for the rich architectural heritage of New York City, as well as the value of its historical preservation.