In a new series of portraits, Erin Currier highlights the lives and works of important creatives. These will be featured in her 13th annual exhibition, Arte y Alma, at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe.
“Just as Currier seeks to connect with the humanity in each of her subjects, collectors and admirers of her work often connect with the stories of the figures she portrays,” says Denise Phetteplace, executive director of Blue Rain Gallery. “Currier’s work represents the global influence of her travels and seeks to inspire social and political transformation.”
¡Flamenco! II, acrylic and mixed media on panel, 48 x 36"
¡Flamenco! III, acrylic and mixed media on panel, 36 x 24"
Arte y Alma—or art and soul—explores the intersection between creation and spirit. “I think perhaps what most ties together the new paintings is that the subjects are compelled to create for reasons that are deeper than tangible worldly fame or fortune,” Currier says of the series. Whether they practiced music or martial arts, the subjects all have an intense connection to creative imagination.
The rocker David Bowie is one of the subjects featured. “There was no one like him,” Currier says. “He was utterly original and unique in everything that he created.” Part of why Currier finds Bowie so compelling is their shared interests in Buddhism, Beat poetry, Gnosticism and mysticism. In the background of the piece, there are allusions to his life, including posters from shows in Berlin and Sydney and imagery of his eclectic fashion.
Bowie!, acrylic and mixed media on panel, 48 x 36"
Iranian-born mixed media artist Shirin Neshat is the subject of another portrait. “She is driven by a deeper internal inquiry into issues of femininity, gender, exile,” Currier explains. The painting incorporates many references to Neshat’s own work, like Pakistani henna boxes and hummingbird playing cards, and the use of metallic gold in the background recalls the feeling of a Persian illuminated manuscript.
Also on view will be paintings Currier created as the Festival Artist for the National Institute of Flamenco’s 35th Annual International Flamenco Festival. “Above all, I wanted to convey flamenco’s innate passion, pathos, ferocity and beauty,” she says. “The beating fiery heart of flamenco is that which I seek to embody in all my portraiture.”
Shirin Neshat, acrylic and mixed media on panel, 24 x 18"
In Flamenco II! and Flamenco III!, Currier uses recycled materials like Loteria cards, a torn poster for a bullfighting match, packaging from a votive candle and more to capture the spirited heritage of the dance.
Arte y Alma opens on June 24 with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through July 16. —
Blue Rain Gallery 544 S. Guadalupe Street • Santa Fe, NM • (505) 954-9902 • www.blueraingallery.com
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