LuminoCity

D. Eleinne Basa, a classically trained artist, began painting at the young age of 8. She furthered her art education after college by taking several workshops before diving into the competitive Plein Air competition scene; it was then that she began to earn critical acclaim. She is still influenced by her early experiences and is happiest when painting “en plein air.” As she notes, it reminds her of the time in her childhood when “painting was pure and came from someplace deep within.”

“LuminoCity,” featuring the artwork of D. Eleinne Basa will remain on view through December 10, 2021 at Rehs Contemporary.

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Basa is always striving to achieve a certain timelessness to the paintings she creates. Her landscapes and cityscapes draw the viewer into the work with their radiant light, reminiscent of the early Luminists and Tonalists of the American School. She has been greatly influenced by some of the most notable 19th Century tonalist painters like Thomas Moran and George Inness, as well as by the soft, delicate, and muted landscapes of the Spanish painter Emilio Sánchez-Perrier.

What is perhaps most captivating about Basa’s work is her capacity to capture atmosphere: the crisp air, the chill of a breeze, or the warmth of sunlight. Paintings like “Afternoon Glow (Hudson Yards)” and “Soho Street Shadows” are prime examples of her ability… with “Afternoon Glow (Hudson Yards),” there is a certain coolness on the street while at the same time the red brick of the building seems to smolder like an ember in the sunlight. Soho Street Shadows has an instant wintery feel; the hazy skyline and barren tree set the stage, and even with a streak of sunlight cutting through the foreground, the air feels brisk.

Basa further develops the brilliance of her work by playing with light sources, most notably in her evening scenes like “Soho Evening Rain,” where light itself nearly takes hold as the focus of the work. The buildings subtly take a back seat, allowing the street light to emanate and reflect off the wet pavement. Brake lights gleam in the distance, pulling our focus deeper into the work, before moving our attention to the finer details that were at first lost in the shadows.

From day to night, Basa captures cities in a way unlike many others. The delicate balance of her compositions truly results in a sense of calmness even in some of the world’s busiest spaces.

As with many of her works, these 13 newly painted pieces in “LuminoCity” feature intimate street scenes, oftentimes a lull within the bustle of big cities. For more details, please visit rehs.com.

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