If you’re in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and feel the need to view some startlingly beautiful realistic paintings with a challenging, yet humorous tone, Jacob Pfeiffer and Meyer Galleries have what you’re looking for.
Opening this Friday, October 6, and continuing through October 19 at Meyer Galleries in Santa Fe is a fantastic solo display of contemporary realism from artist Jacob Pfeiffer. In his work, Pfeiffer delicately balances serious technical painting skills with lighthearted visual metaphors that engage viewers on multiple levels. “By titling each piece with clever puns or idioms, Pfeiffer reveals deeper narratives that are suggested through the painting’s ironic imagery,” the gallery writes. “For his exhibition, Pfeiffer will debut a body of work that portrays visually suspended objects that seek to simultaneously hold the viewer’s attention as we predict the outcome of each implied scenario.”
The artist added, “Paintings in this exhibition are suspended in time and suspended on strings. And, of course, I am hoping that viewers of my work will suspend their disbelief while taking a moment to enjoy it.” The theme of suspension has its roots in 16th- and 17th-century Dutch realism, particularly the “vanitas” theme that was fashionable to Golden Age still life painters.
“The vanitas style incorporated symbolism that pointed to the brevity of life and fleeting nature of time,” according to the gallery. “Pfeiffer incorporates this theme into paintings like ‘Apple Sauce,’ where a bowling ball is held in midair above a still life of awaiting apples. The title humorously suggests the deadly outcome of the suspended moment, while the painting prolongs the inevitable for the viewer’s anticipation. Pfeiffer’s wit is portrayed with masterful technique as he paints each object with intense detail and a saturated color palette.”
To learn more, visit Meyer Galleries.
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