Written by Michael Goldstein for THE ARTISTS FORUM MAGAZINE
Edited by Amos White V for THE ARTISTS FORUM, INC
Photo: Michael Goldstein
REVIEWER RATING:
4.5 out of 5 stars
TJALF SPARNAAY: NEW PAINTINGS / CHARLES JARBOE: PAINTINGS OF WASHINGTON D.C.
NEW YORK, NY (November 22, 2015) Opening Reception, November 19, 2015 – My recent visit to Bernaducci Meisel Gallery and its exhibit, Tjalf Sparnaay: New Paintings / Charles Jarboe: Paintings of Washington DC, was quite impressive. For instance, the latest paintings by Tjalf Sparnaay seemed, but are not edible – at least not in the traditional sense. These are in truth, a four-course serving for your eyes, as Sparnaay employs monumental sizes of articulate realism. The paintings are professional photographs, creating large-scale still life, that will excite your gastronomical desires. You may find your taste buds urging you to find the nearest diner after attending this exhibition.
In his enlarged paintings, Fried Egg A (2015) and Fried Egg B (2015), you can almost hear the sizzle as the palates of our eyes dig into the exquisite execution of lighting and shading, which can be viewed on the burned edges of both eggs. Here he serves up a delicious replication reacting to the light. There is also his mammoth painting, Big Burger (2015), which utilizes the color of each morsel and topping perfectly to replicate a rainbow of juiciness and deliciousness. You almost see the juices leaking out of both patties, the painting is just that good.
While Sparnaay focused on food, the second exhibition at the opening focused on the city paintings of Charles Jarboe, who took a stroll through Washington D.C. for inspiration. In these portraits, four seasons are showcased as the backdrop as well as the portrait. Case in point comes in the form of Jarboe’s painting, Paddle Boats on the Tidal Basin, in which nature becomes both the backdrop and the portrait. In truth, I found myself more entranced by the trees than the paddleboats. Colossal branches of an endless wave of cherry blossoms dominate the painting, literally stealing the spotlight from the titular paddleboats.
The best part aside from coming to a pair of exhibitions like this, is that they perfectly compliment each other. You can have a bite to eat after a leisurely ride on a paddle boat.
For more information about Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, visit: bernarduccigallery.com