Susan Newmark is a mixed media artist focused on socially charged collage works. Her working process includes cutting, tearing, layering and sanding with added drawing and color parallels. She is fascinated with simultaneous levels of meaning as she explores her own emotional identity and reflects upon the many contradictions of being female.
“Layered Narratives”, Susan’s latest body of work, explores storytelling through the creation of imaginary landscapes integrated with abstract elements. She says of this series, “My work on paper explores narrative and storytelling through the creation of imaginary landscapes integrated with abstract elements, found papers from popular culture — such as wallpaper, wrapping paper, magazines, newspapers, comics, and paint. The layering process begins as an improvisation and an appreciation of how torn posters on the walls of subways and buildings reveal layers of memory as the disparate parts unravel and new unexpected realities emerge. Through an additive collage process and the juxtaposition of the abstract and the representational, my surfaces become interwoven networks and dense webs of vision not unlike our packed urban environment. The work constantly changes and fractures as papers are repeatedly added, then sanded, and painted. The distressed surfaces, the fragile female images, and the other figures contain their own histories and associations as they fuse with the fields of color, form and pattern. The inclusion of Nancy in many pieces recalls the daily comic strip I read as a child; she was fearless, curious, confident, a problem solver, and all seeing. I fantasized about having similar attitudes and adventures … and longed to play with her pets. I am as well, fascinated with tattooed bodies as expressions of identity, transformation, and their occurrence throughout history. They appear in my work as objects of an exotic beauty and messengers in the narratives. And, although there is no one way to read my work, there are many points of entry.”
Figureworks is located at 168 N. 6th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Bedford Avenue “L” train. The gallery is open to the public Saturday and Sunday from 1-6 PM and is dedicated to exhibiting contemporary and 20th century fine art of the human form. For more information please email harris@figureworks.com, call the gallery at 718-486-7021 or visit us online at www.figureworks.com
Exploring Green Mansions
mixed media collage, 30″ x 22″, 2013
NOVEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 15, 2013
Reception: Friday evening, November 8th from 6-9PM
(with Williamsburg’s Every 2nd Friday – when galleries stay open late)
After-Party at The Shanty, 79 Richardson Street from 9:30 on
at
FIGUREWORKS
fine art of the human form
168 North 6th St. (1 block from Bedford Avenue “L” train)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211
http://www.figureworks.com
hours: Saturday and Sunday from 1-6PM
