Brian Rutenberg
at cavin-morris
October 24 - November 30, 1996
In this group of recent paintings,
collectively titled, "The Pond," Brian
Rutenberg advances his reputation as one of
the best painters around. His work evokes
light and space that centers on water, but
Rutenberg's aquatic world is conceptual--a
metaphor for painting itself. The work is
firmly grounded in abstraction, a domain to
which the artist is adding some new
territory. It seems as if his confidence
and talent allow him access to secret
painterly places. He dispatches generous
but not excessive amounts of paint on the
canvas in sumptuous, sweeping curves like
there's no tomorrow. His rhythmic gestures
convey a range of emotions, exclusive of
anger. Even the holes poked in the canvases
clearly do not result from rage. Instead,
they serve to thwart a sense of
illusionism. Since the depth of Rutenberg's
pond may be unfathomable, he keeps us
safely on dry land.
