Would you agree that there are infinite ways in which the human body can express different emotions, ideas, and narratives? One artist is using her breathtaking talent to celebrate the body’s beauty through the joy of movement and gesture during this solo exhibition.
 
It was roughly 2,500 years ago that the Greeks of the Classical period began to become increasingly interested in how the human body moves in space and — more importantly — how to capture and represent that movement accurately in art. Breaking away from the rigidity of Egyptian canons, the Greeks discovered a naturalistic beauty in the ways our musculoskeletal structures counterbalance, adjust, and contort in casual stances and athletic competition.
 

Leah Yerpe, “Damocles,” 2015, graphite, ink on paper, 108 x 70 in. (c) Anna Zorina Gallery 2016

 
Fascination with the human body and its communicative capabilities in art is as strong today as it was in antiquity. One artist exploring the beauty and joy of bodily movement is Leah Yerpe, whose works are the subjects of a lovely exhibition at Anna Zorina Gallery in New York City. “Levitation” opens on May 19 and will showcase a number of Yerpe’s outstanding graphite and charcoal drawings. Against empty backgrounds, the artist “depicts a mesmerizing compilation of human figures within a realm unsusceptible to earthly physics,” the gallery writes. “The people seem to dance or float within a blank environment void of gravity. The ambiguous background allows for the beauty and joy of movement to take precedence.”
 

Leah Yerpe, “Hyades,” 2015, graphite, ink on paper, 50 x 38 in. (c) Anna Zorina Gallery 2016

 
The figures are often presented together, creating an entrancing narrative of impulsive and irrepressible gestures that focuses on identity. Continuing, the gallery suggests, “Through employing a diverse range of characters, Yerpe illustrates her passion for exploring the hidden dynamics of strangers or our neighbors. She intertwines human form with spirit. The drama of the wild poses within the uncertain context captures the ways that humans interact with inner struggles or ambitions. The energetic movements are graceful yet twisted to portray the versatility of the human spirit.”
 
“Levitation” opens on May 19 and will be on view through July 1. To learn more, visit Anna Zorina Gallery.
 
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In this ongoing series for Fine Art Today, we take a longer look at the history and features of a soon-to-be-available artwork of note. This week Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant, “Porte de la Kasbah de Tanger.”
 
Throughout art history, many artists have found themselves greatly inspired and fascinated by the Orient. Whether it was the exotic animals, fabrics, and foods or the breathtaking landscapes and colors, some of the greatest works of art have been inspired by foreign cultures.
 
Nineteenth-century painter Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant (1845-1902) was an artist who specialized in Orientalism and has emerged from the annals of history as one of the subject’s greatest champions. Born in Paris in 1845, Benjamin-Constant began his formal artistic career in Toulouse, France, at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1859 before a scholarship allowed him to travel back to Paris in 1866. However, the most pivotal moment in the young artist’s career came in 1871, when Benjamin-Constant embarked on an extended sojourn, travelling to Moorish Spain and Morocco. For the first time, Benjamin-Constant was exposed to the culture that would entrance him and inspire his art for the rest of his career.
 
Also significant in the artist’s development was his early training with Jules Garipuy, who had been a student of the monumental Eugéne Delacroix. Scholars often note Benjamin-Constant’s admiration for Delacroix as it surfaces in his paintings, particularly his lush palette and painterly surfaces.
 
Lovers of exotic and Orientalist themes in painting will want to register for the May 18 sale at Artcurial. The sale will feature a diverse range of outstanding 18th- and 19th-century Orientalist paintings, including an original from Benjamin-Constant. Titled “Porte de la Kasbah de Tanger,” the piece is not one of the artist’s masterpieces, but remains a gorgeous work with a bright palette and feathery brushwork. Amidst a shaded interior, seven figures converse, wearing turbans, exotic robes, and jewelry. A reclining man, closest to the viewer, interacts with his pet leopard as the others look on with interest. Beyond an arched doorway, the viewer discovers a simplified but lovely landscape. Benjamin-Constant’s juxtaposition of richly detailed foregrounds and flat planes of vivid color in the background is typical of his works, and additionally heightens the sense of recessive space. Auction estimates are between €100,000 and €150,000.
 
To view the full catalogue, visit Artcurial.
 
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Have you ever communicated without words? Perhaps it could be those miniscule changes to an expression, or perhaps that inexplicable chemistry and connection shared with someone else. Artist Stanka Kordic invites you to join the conversation.
 
For artist Stanka Kordic, painting has evolved into a method for capturing “a deeply embedded serenity that we all simply have, but rarely access,” she says. “My inspiration for a number of years have revolved around women, children, and their thoughts. I say thoughts, because I realize now that what intrigues me most is that elusive piece that draws me to people that carry an enigmatic air about them; a quiet that is visceral.”
 

Stanka Kordic, “Truth and Knowledge,” 2015, oil on aluminum, 12 x 12 in. (c) Stanka Kordic 2016

 
To capture these elusive characteristics, Kordic begins by spending several hours with her models, shooting hundreds of photos with different spaces, gestures, and light. It’s during her review of the photos that the painting first speaks to the artist. “I zero in on many that seem interesting, whether because of pose, lighting, mood, reasons why often change. I then decide upon the surface and format, and begin the usual way … draft in the portrait or figure and move from there.”
 

Stanka Kordic, “Fluid,” 2016, oil on birch, 24 x 24 in. (c) Stanka Kordic 2016

Stanka Kordic, “Hummingbird,” 2015, oil on birch, 12 x 12 in. (c) Stanka Kordic 2016

 
Kordic’s recollection of her creation of “Alchemy” — a gorgeous three-quarter-length portrait of the young woman “Leila” — encapsulates beautifully this creative process. She writes, “I began ‘Alchemy’ because I liked the expression Leila had, and her body language. I decided to use birch as the substrate because of the rough absorbency of the surface. However, I neglected to lightly sand the surface prior and dove in prematurely. Even after a second layer it was rougher than usual, and I was beginning to struggle with it. Then it hit me that this needed to be a part of the resolution; that I needed to apply the paint in such a way that complemented the dry quality of the wood. I used different tools, more knife work, fingers, brayers. It became a slow grow of tactile layers. She was originally photographed in the woods, but it began to move in a different direction. I followed that initial trigger rather than trying to control the outcome to resemble something I created in my head, or saw that day with the camera. As the piece came closer to fruition, more and more solutions became obvious, and the struggle ended. It became clear that ‘Alchemy’ was created.”
 

Stanka Kordic, “Leila and the Wren,” 2016, oil on panel, 20 x 16 in. (c) Stanka Kordic 2016

Stanka Kordic, “The Sky Below Us,” 2016, oil on birch, 8 x 8 in. (c) Stanka Kordic 2016

 
For Kordic, her artistic goals are simple, humble, and without loft. She writes, “I want the figure to look semi-accurately drawn. To have a strong composition, decent color, and be pleasant to look at. I do believe that art should exist in an environment in order to bring the viewer to a place of rest, perhaps wonderment. Maybe there will be a narrative that is revealed, a dialogue that may come up. I don’t decide any of this ahead of time. I truly sit myself down with those rudimentary basics and watch what happens each day. It’s always a surprise.”
 

 
To learn more, visit Stanka Kordic.
 
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At first glance, the subjects of Alan Magee’s paintings might seem mundane. However, the artist seeks to “record the pure sensation of objects as abstract thoughts,” Forum Gallery suggests. How will you see the works?
 
Opening on May 12 at Forum Gallery in New York City, “Alan Magee: Songs for All Hours” is the type of art exhibition that could be a profound spiritual experience. How? The key to this experience is attaining what the artist calls “true seeing.” Forum Gallery writes, “Alan Magee’s practice is to record the pure sensation of objects as abstract thoughts; he believes that analysis of our response as we look at and discover the world leads to a sensory spirituality that affects our perception.”
 

Alan Magee, “Battlefield,” 2016, acrylic and oil on panel, 36 1/4 x 45 in. (c) Forum Gallery 2016

 
The exhibition will feature 23 of Magee’s newest works with his typical subjects, which are drawn from history and are both natural and manmade. Continuing, the gallery reports, “In this exhibition, tools, machine parts, artists’ materials and his enduring river stones take center stage. Ranging in size from 10 x 8 inches to 4 x 6 feet, the paintings on view demonstrate Magee’s ability to see beyond the physicality of each object portrayed.”
 

Alan Magee, “Afterword,” 2016, acrylic on panel, 10 x 8 in. (c) Forum Gallery 2016

 
“Alan Magee: Songs for All Hours” opens on May 12 and will hang through July 1. To learn more, visit Forum Gallery.
 
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Twenty incredible artists are included in a group exhibition this month at Robert Lange Studios. The artists each express a unique individualism through their works and were pushed to discover overlooked moments and celebrate them in paint.
 
“Remnants” at Robert Lange Studios is a great opportunity to view pictures by some of the best representational painters working today. Among others, artists include Christopher Burk, Adam Hall, JB Boyd, KC Collins, Megan Aline, Brett Scheifflee, Josh Tiessen, Erik Johnson, Robert Lange, Mickey Williams, Kerry Brooks, Joshua Flint, Charles Williams, and Jason Drake.
 

Brett Scheifflee, “Still Standing,” oil on panel, 10 x 10 in. (c) Robert Lange Studios 2016

 
Via the gallery, “Twenty artists were asked to create paintings, not size or medium specific, that depict manmade and natural objects being reclaimed by nature.”
 

Robert Lange, “Going Home,” oil on panel, 24 x 48 in. (c) Robert Lange Studios 2016

 
“Remnants” will be on view through the end of May. To learn more, visit Robert Lange Studios.
 
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The New York Botanical Gardens is the perfect host for this beautiful exhibition of more than 20 historical oils from this iconic artistic movement.
 
American Impressionism flourished at the turn of the 20th century as a result of the widespread success of the movement in France. Although it’s been over a century, works from American Impressionism’s greatest champions come to life again at The New York Botanical Gardens. Visitors will have the distinct pleasure of viewing the American garden in paint and in life — a beautiful juxtaposition. Among the notable artists included are Chase, Hassam, and Sargent.
 
Via the event webpage: “Throughout the Garden, celebrate the spirit of America and NYBG’s 125th Anniversary with an exciting array of programs showcasing many aspects of American culture from this era, which coincided with NYBG’s founding. Enjoy jazz and tap performances, a lively evening concert series, lectures and symposia, film screenings of popular entertainment acts, a poetry walk, and art activities for adults and children; special Opening Weekend events kick off the festivities.”
 
To learn more, visit the New York Botanical Gardens.
 
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The Art Gallery of Ontario is celebrating its recent acquisition of a powerful portrait by one of the greatest Danish painters of all time. How?
 
Known for his quiet, tranquil portraits and sparsely populated interiors with muted palettes, painter Vilhelm Hammershøi is celebrated as one of the greatest Danish artists of all time. Born in Copenhagen in 1864, Hammershøi was educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. His works rich in atmosphere and light, Hammershøi has been called a “painter of pauses, silences, and in-between spaces” by Mikkel Bogh, director of the National Gallery of Denmark.
 
The Art Gallery of Ontario recently acquired a lovely portrait by Hammershøi of his wife, who was a common subject in his work. To celebrate the addition, the museum has mounted an exhibition on view through June 26. Titled “Painting Tranquility: Masterworks by Vilhelm Hammershøi,” the show was “originally curated by the National Gallery of Denmark’s senior research curator, Kasper Monrad,” the museum writes. “At the center of the exhibition is the recent acquisition, Hammershøi’s ‘Interior with Four Etchings,’ from 1905. A portrait of the artist’s wife in their Copenhagen apartment, this painting has been largely unseen since its creation, and held in a private collection. The Art Gallery of Ontario was able to prevent the painting from being exported and purchased it in early 2015. It’s the first work by a Scandinavian avant-garde artist to enter the Art Gallery of Ontario’s European collection.”
 
To learn more, visit The Art Gallery of Ontario.
 
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So often one speaks of “classicism” and “the academic tradition” in art — especially painting and sculpture. Shall we take a moment to celebrate one of the sources of this cultural and artistic heritage? The Metropolitan Museum answers, “Yes.”
 
After his father, Philip II of Macedonia, conquered the Aegean, Alexander the Great took great pride in continuing Philip’s campaign to unite the western world. Although Alexander ruled for only a brief time, he was able to capture his prize, spreading classical Greek ideas, arts, language, and philosophy across the entire Mediterranean.
 

Fragmentary Colossal Head of a Youth, Greek, 2nd century BCE, marble, 22 7/8 in. (c) Staatliche Museen zu Berlin 2016

 
The culture that resulted from this unification, called Hellenistic, spawned the term cosmopolitan — or “world citizen.” Trade and cultural exchanged flourished, which also resulted in a wealth of artistic production that was a synthesis of numerous civilizations, though most prominently Grecian.
 

Mosaic Embléma with Itinerant Musicians, Roman, 2nd century BCE, 18 7/8 x 18 1/8 in.
(c) Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples 2016

 
Featuring some 264 artworks from this dynamic period of history, “Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World” is an awesome opportunity to witness firsthand ancient artistic production with a distinct classical flavor. On view now through July 17 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the exhibition draws particular focus to Pergamon, one of the wealthiest of the Hellenistic Kingdoms. Artistically, Pergamon is known for the dramatic relief sculptures on its “Altar of Zeus” — which stylistically draws heavily on the Parthenon frieze.
 

Hair Ornament with Bust of Athena, 2nd century BCE, gold, 4 in. (c) Benaki Museum, Athens 2016

 
This exhibition, however, highlights an abundance of additional objects from Pergamon, including marbles, bronzes, terracotta sculptures, jewelry, glass vessels, and much more. As the museum writes, “This is the first time in the United States that a major international loan exhibition will focus on the astonishing wealth, outstanding artistry, and technical achievements of the Hellenistic period.”
 
To learn more, visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
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Best known for his depictions of cows in lush Midwestern landscapes, painter Craig Blietz presents a surreal interpretation of animals in the “pastoral scene” during his latest solo exhibition. Who’s the proud host?
 
We’re just one month away from the opening of a compelling solo exhibition at Tory Folliard Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Calendar” is the latest display of gorgeous oils by painter Craig Blietz, who’s best known for his depictions of cows.
 
Drawing on both the narrative and formalist aspects of painting, Blietz situates his animal subjects in lovely Midwestern landscapes and seeks to capture much more than external beauty. Through his pictures, Blietz “suggests much about the relationship of the animals to one another and the resulting parallel to human behavior,” the gallery writes.
 
Also explored in the show is the rural environment of Wisconsin, where the artist currently lives. In particular, Bleitz seeks to celebrate “one of the most treasured aspects of Midwestern existence — the cycle of the seasons,” says the gallery. Continuing this thought, Blietz says, “We revere the contrast of conditions in the four seasons and revel in our ability to withstand and adapt to the extremes of each. These paintings strike at the emotional mood experienced as we navigate our way through the seasonal reckoning of time.”
 
“Calendar” opens on June 3 and will be on view through July 2. To learn more, visit Tory Folliard Gallery.
 
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.