VANESSA PRAGER – DREAMERS
2015-02-16Moving in a bold, new direction with a series of large scale, multi-colored oil paintings, Vanessa Prager’s “imagined” portraits cross the border between the figurative and the abstract with diplomatic immunity. To quote the artist, “I made this series to tell stories and as with any story, you need to zoom-in to get the details and zoom-out to grasp the larger thematic concerns.” With layered brushstrokes Prager creates a sculptured-painting effect; the entire composition seems to melt, drip and fade out at first glance. But look long enough and you see a lone isolated face staring starkly out at you.
The artist sees the subjects of these portraits as being intimately involved in their own creation. They longingly wish to co-exist within the beautifully chaotic world they inhabit. They are not ashamed, but curious: about what will happen? Who will come? Will they be found, or found out?
Vanessa Prager’s works have been exhibited at galleries in New York and Los Angeles. Her participation in group museum exhibitions include Santa Monica Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The artist has received critical acclaim in national press including, W Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Flaunt, Angeleno Magazine, Huffington Post, LA Weekly and Nylon.
Opposite – Sundae, 2014
Exhibition runs through to March 21st, 2015
Richard Heller Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave. #B-5A
Santa Monica
CA 90404
