LA><ART

Jennifer Guidi: Field Paintings

May 17-June 28, 2014

Exhibition Opening: May 17th, 6-8pm

 

For LA><ART Jennifer Guidi will present a new series of large-scale abstract oil paintings inspired by the rich patterning of traditional Moroccan rugs. Upon returning from a trip to Morocco, she brought with her a collection of these rugs and began to photograph their intricate woven surfaces and the rarely displayed, muted stitching on their reverse. Painting from these photographs led her to focus in on the delicate stitching that formed the structure of each pattern. Over time, the stitches became central allowing her to move away from the source material entirely. This investigation of the marks led to this series, entitled Field Paintings, which feature rows of small marks on a built up surface.

 

Guidi describes the development as an organic evolution. The more meditative, fluid process allowed her to distance herself from the perfection of representational painting which defined her earlier practice. Parallel to these oil paintings she began to experiment in texture combining sand and gel medium to build up the canvas’ surface further, the paintings in sand allow the marks to appear like heavy, rolling gouges into the raw canvas.  Both works in sand and oil have an undulating, optical effect at first minimal but highly complex on further inspection. The motion and variation in each line reveals her hand giving the viewer an entrance into the ethereal spaces which she creates.  

 

About the Artist 

Jennifer Guidi is a Los-Angeles based painter who has exhibited at venues including ACME, Anton Kern Gallery (NY), Pepin Moore, and Hayworth Gallery.