A Poke in the Eye

by Nancy Mladenoff
 

This February, Leiminspace is proud to present A Poke in the Eye by Wisconsin-based artist Nancy Mladenoff! The show is comprised of brightly colored paintings, drawings and sketchbooks. The show opens Saturday, February the 4th, from 7-10 pm at 443 Lei Min Way, Chinatown Los Angeles.  Wine and light snacks will be provided at the opening! See you soooon! 

In Nancy Mladenoff’s new series, “A Poke in the Eye,” women are captured in a series of poses or situations reminiscent of photographic snapshots. Many relate to the outdoors: fishing and boating, skiing and golfing, mowing the lawn and grilling in the backyard. Others show women inside: dancing together or smoking cigarettes, or standing alone in front of four empty chairs. Some with animals become more fantastical: a woman and a black bear appear together in a swimming pool, another shares a sandwich with a parakeet, while a young girl with chopped bangs holds a pet tiger that stares directly at the viewer. Yet, while there is a mundane, even casual quality to the composition of the imagery, these small-scale paintings resonate with a raw primitive power through the artist’s juxtaposition of bold, jarring, pop colors and the intricate play between figuration and abstraction. What initially appears loose and free-form is upon closer inspection revealed to be complex and abstract, the result of blocks of color used in the underpainting. The colors of many of the figures flow defiantly outside the line that defines them. Strangely, and somewhat magically, they appear to glow, as if illuminated from within.

More Info: NancyMladenoff.com