Bernar Venet + Phil Frost

DSC_6242
I love Ace Gallery in Los Angeles. The space is absolutely amazing. The gallery is located on the 2nd floor of an 11-story high building but feels like a museum when you’re inside. We checked out a few openings there last week – Bernar Venet and Phil Frost.

Bernar Venet’s work is simply beautiful. The exhibition “Indeterminate Lines” was so peaceful to look at. The lines are organic, vague even in all its geometric glory. The sculptures felt strong and commanded attention. I really loved Venet’s approach to the work. He says, “My sculptures are all about how they are made and how metal resists. They are a test of strength—a battle between myself and the piece of metal. It is a struggle between the artist’s will and the rigid nature of the laminated bar. I suggest which direction to go, but I am guided by the metal bar, which in turn also resists me. There is an interplay of concessions. When I have to let the bar remain autonomous, the result is a testimonial both to the act of forging and to the possibilities of a material which I do not change beyond the limits of its natural characteristics.”
ace gallery

Phil Frost is a New York based self-taught contemporary artist. The exhibition is called “Solace of the Sword” and alludes to the ascetic life. It also refers to the internal struggles involved in the act of painting. I can certainly relate to that. Painting can be an exhilarating and unnerving personal journey. It requires a lot of patience, time alone and focus. It is something very familiar to artists … bloggers, writers or anyone who makes a living creating can relate to the feeling of solitary confinement. Both shows are up until September. There’s also a rotating exhibition of selected artwork. Full list here.
DSC_6233
DSC_6234
DSC_6236

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *