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DiggJosé Manuel Ballester 2007
May 3, 2007- May 26, 2007
Reception: May 3, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
José Manuel Ballester
Charles Cowles Gallery
537 W 24th StThe Charles Cowles Gallery is pleased to announce our second exhibition for artist José Manuel Ballester. In his new photos, Ballester continues exploring the architectural spaces which have been his focus in both painting and photography for several years. His photographs are balanced and nuanced compositions of deserted interiors. In this exhibition his focus is on P.S. 1 in Queens, and these images are a continuation of his study of museums and public spaces around the world. Despite the formal qualities of these images, where light, form and perspective play large roles, there is the emotional resonance of isolation and solitude within an urban space that is reinforced by a palpable absence of human figures.
Ballester's photos of Times Square at night are oddly vacant for all the glitz and glitter that are its trademarks. Space is compressed into a shallow picture plane where the illuminated signs vie for dominant position and seem to press towards the viewer. Using his Times Square images as raw material, Ballester digitally swirls the rich colors and vibrancy of light-littered Times Square into a study of color and gesture for a suite of abstract nocturnes. Each takes the original image and pushes the subject matter past realism in an exploration of light and space.
“Although he began as a painter and printmaker – two activities he continues to pursue along with the photography for which he is best known – Jose Manuel Ballester graduated the University of Madrid with a degree in fine arts not as a painter, sculptor or photographer but as a restorer of Flemish and Italian old masters because he wished to learn concrete techniques.” And it is the technique that Ballester uses that serves as a vehicle through which he is able to deconstruct his subject matter.
José Manuel Ballester was born in Madrid, Spain where he currently lives and works. His work has been featured in many solo exhibitions throughout Europe, including the Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno, Valencia; Museo Camon Aznar, Zaragoza; the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, Bilbao; and the Museo de la Ciudad, Madrid. His work will be shown at the Nicholas Metivier Gallery in Toronto from May 3rd to the 26th.
Books and DVDs related to artists in this show
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