Donna con Bambino
November 18, 2006- December 23, 2006
Reception: November 18, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
529 W 20th St
For his first solo exhibition of new works at
Jonathan LeVine Gallery, Donna con Bambino, Shag invites viewers into a playful, mysterious and ironic world. Juxtaposing pithy subject matter with larger, detailed paintings, Shag magnifies viewers’ consciousness and experience. Through his flat-plane technique, vibrant palette, and paradoxical narratives, Shag expands his sophisticated iconography. Shag’s abstracted works are the first exhibited series, marking a new direction and technique for the artist.
For Donna con Bambino, Shag depicts his stylized, seductive women posed in lavish interiors accompanied by their pets — both unconcerned by the news of natural or man-made disasters airing live on their televisions. Surrounded by beautiful things, and enjoying life, these hedonistic women evoke aloofness in the face of disaster. The viewer is invited to study these blithe women and how they are reacting to, or not reacting to, the outside world.
Shag’s series of detailed paintings expand on humor, irony, and theme, strengthening a visually linked narrative. By cropping each image, Shag’s rich textures and saturated colors heighten a mood of apathy and indifference, simultaneously mirroring the personalities of his charismatic women. Donna con Bambino, refers not only to the relationship of woman with her pet, but the sets of paintings themselves.
Shag (a contraction of the last two letters of artist Josh Agle’s first name and the first two letters of his last) lives and works in Los Angeles. A graduate of California State University, Shag’s works are celebrated throughout the world including Japan, Australia, and Europe. Inspired by modern art and architecture of the 50s and 60s, his distinct style equates with a retro-cool pop aesthetic. Currently, Shag is working on a group of monumental paintings that will go into many of the historic modernist houses of Palm Springs. In 2007 Laguna Beach Art Museum will showcase a retrospective of his work.
Books and DVDs related to artists in this show| Location | map | | Gallery | Jonathan LeVine Gallery | | Address | 529 W 20th St, 9th Fl New York (Chelsea) NY, 10011 United States | | Phone | 212-243-3822 | | Hours | Tue-Sat 11-6 | |
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