From the Surreal to the Classical

The figure takes center stage as a range of artists  — each with his or her own style and medium  — participate in a tantalizing group exhibition.
 

 
Ukrainian sculptor Julia Levitina is introduced as the newest addition to the Axelle Fine Arts Galerie roster of artists during its annual “Summer Group Show” in New York City. Her piece titled “Old Man & Sea” has a physiognomic attention and expressive modeling that would leave Auguste Rodin smiling. There is a sense of bodily discovery  — what the artist terms “insight”  — also evident in works such as “Spring” and “Caryatid,” which have a classical simplicity of pose. Particularly attractive is Levitina’s range of technique, from the irregular, expressive surface of “Heraclitus” to the smoothed, polished finish of “Spring.”
 

The classical features of Levitina’s sculptures are counterbalanced by the paintings of Ric Roux-Fontaine. Pictures such as “Souvenir de l’inconnu,” a mixed media painting displaying a flaming giraffe walking on a moon-like surface, and “Goya’s Dream,” have a surrealist element that adds a bit of fun and playfulness to the show. The range of work continues within the gorgeous naturalistic landscapes of Frenchman Benoît Trimborn.  While the figure is absent in much of Trimborn’s art, the presence of humanity is often implicit. In “Chemin au colza,” the viewer stands on the edge of a long dirt road that slices through a well-groomed field of yellow flowers. The perspective and scale have been imagined so that the road encompasses most of the canvas. Similarly, we are drawn into the composition by a man-made canal in “Canal dans le brouillard,” a quiet scene that plays with our perception of rhythm as the pattern of trees recedes into the distance.
 

Other artists featured in the show include Albert Hadjiganev, Quentin Garel, Patrick Pietropoli, Beth Carter, and Goxwa.

“Summer Group Show” opened on July 1 and will be on view until September 13.

To learn more, visit Axelle Fine Arts Galerie.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.