For well over a month, 33 Contemporary Gallery, in collaboration with 33PA, is hosting a group show at its Palm Beach County, Florida, showroom, that explores modern approaches to the timeless genre of portraiture. Opening January 9 with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m., and running through February 28, the show will feature 12-by-12-inch portraits by talented members of the PoetsArtists community. For those who can’t attend in person, the exhibition will also be online on Artsy for its duration.
Angelika Weinekötter, The Moment between Heartbeats, oil on panel, 12 x 12"
In Angelika Weinekötter’s series Dialogue of Species, the German artist explores the profound, often enigmatic relationships between humans and animals. Weinekötter explains, “I often use my subjects as a gateway into exploring deeper themes, such as the unspoken bond between living beings or the subtle communication that occurs between different species. This exploration makes the work inherently figurative, but each piece contains an element of portraiture that aims to capture the inner life of the subject.”
Weinekötter uses traditional techniques to address contemporary themes, creating a bridge between the past and present. “The modern aspect comes through in my attempt to capture not only the physical likeness but also the unseen, emotional and spiritual connections between my subjects,” she says. “I often depict the complex relationships modern humans have with nature and the animal world, highlighting a connection that is both timeless and relevant today. My aim is to convey the essence of the individual or the relationship between them and their environment, often blurring the boundaries between human and nature.”
Angelika Weinekötter, The Lizard Catcher, oil on canvas, 12 x 12"
The human-animal relationship is highlighted in Weinekötter’s show pieces The Moment Between Heartbeats and The Lizard Catcher. About the former, depicting a woman gently nuzzling a deer, the artist explains, “I wanted to capture the sense of calm that arises when we allow ourselves to connect deeply with another being, transcending words.” Inspired by a poem by show co-curator Didi Menendez, The Lizard Catcher draws from the poet’s childhood memory of playing catch and release with the little reptile. “The upward gaze of the young woman, combined with the vibrant lizard above, creates a sense of wonder and discovery,” says Weinekötter. “It speaks to our instinctive desire to connect with nature, a theme that runs throughout my work.”
The human figure is Lorena Lepori’s primary subject, with a focus on the representation of femininity through archetypes, stereotypes and personal memories. Material Girl, a contemporary personification of greed, is part of Lepori’s current series based on the seven deadly sins. “Talk about classic themes!” She says. “Precisely because [portrait and figurative art] is timeless, it leaves room for changes. Overturning any classic theme always challenges my creativity.”
Patricia Schappler, A Boy and His Cat, oil on cradled board, 12 x 12"
Patricia Schappler will be presenting an oil that also focuses on a shared moment between different species, in this case, a boy and his cat. “I looked to hold a quiet moment longer, focusing on the beauty of a simple day-to-day event in this image, a shared experience that many households across the world have seen, felt and been comforted by within their own homes,” says Schappler. “Although the scenes I choose are transient, it is my hope that the feeling of the moment remains.” In A Boy and his Cat, Schappler has paired a classic palette with modern perspectives and small details like the boy’s Apple Watch that ground the scene firmly in the present.
Lorena Lepori, Material Girl, oil on panel, 12 x 12"
“Moments of beauty are readily available in the day to day,” says Schappler. “By beauty, I mean ‘rightness.’ Working from photos, quick sketches and memory, I merged the exterior and interior life of this boy into a place of balance. Using the simple, white t-shirt to reflect color from both the boy and the cat; his gesture of cradling creates a simple pyramid while the cat brings the internal warmth of the boy to the foreground—a moment of poetry between the two.” —
33 Contemporary Gallery 500 N. Dixie Highway • Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 • (708) 837-4534 www.33contemporary.com • www.poetsandartists.com www.artsy.net/show/33-contemporary-bff-modern-portraits
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