MARNA SHOPOFF

JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY is pleased to announce the latest  exhibition of Indianapolis-based painter Marna Shopoff, entitled Première Couche. The new suite of paintings represents a momentary departure from her colorful and energetic canvases; employing a more subdued palette composed of primarily black and white, with more subtle compositions focusing on geometric forms. The exhibition will be on view from 3 to 26 October 2018 with an opening reception coinciding with the Arts District of New Orleans’ (ADNO) First Saturday Gallery Openings on Saturday 6 October, 5 - 9pm, in conjunction with ART FOR ARTS’ SAKE | Downtown.

The artist elaborates on the shift in the new paintings . . .

What happens when we set aside the need to represent what we see and instead respond with how we feel?  To me, life is fragmented and layered, a mosaic of experiences interwoven with reflection and intuition: the places we visit, the homes we live in, the countries we explore – each overlapping and influencing one another.  Première Couche (first layer) is a visual expression of how experience and memory affect my connection to self, and how the response to change shifts my identity.

Using gray-scale, geometric abstract paintings, I explore the concept of spatial identity, translating how place and experience uniquely intertwine.  I examine how human experience, place and personal memory affect my perception of self.  Having previously used vibrant color as a hallmark of exploration, these newest, monochromatic works, are inspired by my recent transition into motherhood, a challenge that made me question the loss of my previous identity while influencing the more subdued palette.  Blending contemporary and classical approaches to painting and composition, I use the oil-painting technique of Grisaille to express the idea of a sketch, the mood of a beginning and an entrance into someplace new – the first layer, and abstraction as a way to move through and define the two-dimensional surface. Perspective and transparency, together with techniques of glazing and layering, create an illusion of depth and space, while visually conveying the fusion of memories and experiences.