ARTFUL COMPANIONS
Spheres of influence
This January, RJD Gallery in Bridgehampton, New York, will host the exhibition Artful Companions, which explores the spheres of influences on a work of art. Featured will be pieces by gallery mainstays such as Mary Jane Ansell, Matt R. Martin and Drew Ernst, as well as works by brand-new artists on the roster, Aneka Ingold and Agnetha Sjögren.
“Works of art are seldom comprised of a solitary subject on its own. Very often there is the influence of another person or object within the mix of ultimate composition,” says Joi Jackson Perle, the gallery’s director of operations. “What is the energy between the subject and the people and things that surround him? A companion takes many forms and could include another person, an animal, book or even the trees in the distance. How and why is
the main subject where they are and what role does the companion play to bring them to that moment? The backstory of artful companions adds depth, dimension and emotion and invites the viewer to look closely to see the subtle and not to subtle underpinnings of artwork.”
Among the pieces in the show by Ansell is Invincible II, which depicts a young woman donning red, white and blue garb. In describing the inspiration for her Invincible series, Ansell says it was borne from “the desire to capture that unshakeable feeling of inner strength that a young girl can have, when suddenly you see in her a conviction and purpose that totally transcends her age.”
In Martin’s artwork, such as Mirage, viewers see intertwined human figures that are grounded in reality but have dreamlike qualities through the artist’s interpretation of the scene and how he paints. Martin explains, “My work explores not only human postures and proprioception, but also its orientation which forces the viewer to consider the human form as a whole, along with its various gestures, shapes and expressions of body language.”
Mixed media artist Ingold’s piece The Gift shows a girl with a small animal in the palm of her hand that can take on many meanings through the eyes of the viewer. Elaborating on the inspiration, Ingold shares, “A gift could be many things, and provides the power of giving, and offers the symbol of surprises, happiness and celebration. In this art piece, it could be symbolized as the small animal in the palm of the girl’s hand, either being given or received by the girl. It could be the beautiful headdress full of flowers or the elegant necklace she is wearing. Gift giving is also an opportunity to express the giver’s perception of both ‘themselves and the receiver.’ Or the gift could simply be the companionship of the characters, including the viewer, now within the narrative. Each viewer is invited to use their own personal visual history to decipher the meaning for themselves.”
Sculptor Sjögren will present her oneof-a-kind dog sculpture Wonder Woman, which is made from vintage Wonder Woman comic books from the 1970s that are numbered 247, 250, 254 and 258. Each of her dogs is accompanied by a story within a mini British passport that also includes a photograph, height and date of birth.
In the passport, the artist explains that because 2018 has been about female empowerment, it felt right to start making female superheroes. She began with Wonder Woman, which she based in America. She writes, “We need more super women to stand up for themselves and their rights in America but not only in America, I am not just talking about the #metoo movement. There will be more female superheroes after this one.”