- Catherine Hess, chief curator of European art at The Huntington, Los Angeles
(photo by David John)
Nov. 10, 2012-March 11, 2013
Huntington Art Gallery
"Oh I am loving always holding
epic song it tells of how
of she and I are living now" (Bonnie Prince Billy)
I had the pleasure of attending the evening opening of Lesley's and Ricky's show at the Huntington, but made a date to return by myself this past week, in hopes of seeing the work in a much quieter and light-filled setting. I decided to return on Thanksgiving Eve, climbing the staircase as the sun was setting, joyfully finding an empty gallery. Their works conversing on the second floor of the Huntington Art Gallery; Vance's brush strokes appearing effortless yet painfully detailed, while Swallow's largest sculpture in this new body of work, eerily peered out the window, as if standing watch of the manicured gardens below or waiting for someone to return. Absolutely captivating on every level. - David John
"Lesley Vance and Ricky Swallow are showcased in a new exhibition In a dramatic departure from tradition, The Huntington presents the first exhibition of contemporary paintings and sculpture to be displayed inside the Huntington Art Gallery, showcasing the work of Los Angeles–based artists Lesley Vance and Ricky Swallow. The stately Beaux Arts mansion that was once the home of Henry and Arabella Huntington is renowned for its collection of European art. In “Lesley Vance & Ricky Swallow,” the artists’ contemporary work is placed in the context of the gallery’s Old Master paintings, Renaissance bronzes, 18th-century French decorative arts, and British grand manner portraits."
"The exhibition is co-curated by Hess and Christopher Bedford, the Henry and Lois Foster Director of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University in Boston. Approximately nine abstract paintings by Vance and 12 domestic-scale sculptures by Swallow are installed in an upstairs room of the mansion. A number of the works were made especially for the exhibition. Wisconsin native Lesley Vance is inspired by Old Master painting, including 17th-century still lifes.
Of her evolution toward abstraction, Vance said, “There isn’t much abstract painting that feels warm and intimate. I wanted abstraction that works like representation, that invites you in.” Her work has received increasing critical acclaim since 2010, when it was exhibited in the Whitney Biennial. Ricky Swallow grew up in Australia, which he represented in the 2005 Venice Biennale. Like Vance, Swallow is interested in the still-life tradition. His most recent sculpture often takes as a point of departure household objects that he models in simple materials, including cardboard, then casts in bronze and patinates with surfaces that recall ceramic glazes" (text taken from here)
"Major support for this project is provided by Laura and Carlton Seaver. Additional support is provided by the Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation; Margery and Maurice Katz; David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles; Stuart Shave/Modern Art, London; and Marc Foxx and Rodney Hill, Marc Foxx Gallery, Los Angeles."
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