Annabell Marrngamarrnga

Annabell Marrngamarrnga, Large Aboriginal Painting

1999

Abstraction. Oil on canvas signed Morales 67. Countersigned on the back of the canvas. Good condition. 45.5 x 38 cm.

Tennis player. Gouache on thin cardboard, early 20th century. Fold and small lack of cardboard at the top left. 37.5 x 24 cm

In this abstract expressionist painting by Shant, the tension between black and white creates an immediate, palpable sense of unease, which could recall the chaos and turmoil often associated with Lebanon's complex history. Indeed, Shank was born in Lebanon in Beirut in '71. From 1975 to 1992, Lebanon was the scene of a multifaceted war. Very deadly for the civilian population, it involved various protagonists, and a civil war broke out in 1975-1976, then again in 1983-1985. Whether consciously or unconsciously distancing from these events, having been exposed to them directly or through the tragic experiences of families who remained in the country, the bold brushstrokes and swirling circular shapes evoke a sense of urgency, reflecting the inner turmoil and external conflicts that may have shaped the artist's experience. Abstract expressionism is a free universe where everyone can interpret a painting according to its history, its current events, whatever the resonance may be between the personal history of the spectator and that of the artist. The chaotic composition of this piece invites us to explore our inner worlds as we navigate through the painting's complex layers of meaning. Shant fills space with dynamic energy, creating an organization of forms, a dialogue that challenges traditional notions of order and structure. It is impossible to separate Shant's artistic expression from the socio-political context of Lebanon. The artist's education undoubtedly influences his point of view, infusing the work with a questioning that resonates on a profoundly universal level. Ultimately, Shant's abstract expressionism in this painting transcends mere representation, inviting viewers to confront the complexities of the human condition and the lasting impact of conflict on the individual and collective psyche. He was born in 1971 in Beirut, Lebanon, where Shant Beudjekian’s art practice was discovered at 14, after gaining recognition from the Swiss national youth soccer team and winning many trophies and medals then. In 1995, after moving to California, San Diego, he completed a 4 year Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Ceramics at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He also attended a one-year internship in landscape architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. He returned to Southern California in 2004, where he practiced as a full-time Artist in the Local Art Communities of Southern California. He has been painting for 25 years while receiving appreciative acceptances from curators and Gallery Directors from the East Coast. He exhibited in several cities on the East Coast of the United States, along with exhibitions in the Chelsea District of Manhattan, New York. Now living on the West Coast, Beudjekian has been notable for exhibiting Art and selling on numerous occasions at the San Diego Art Institute of the Living Artists, Del Mar Art Center, San Diego Hospice and Palliative Care, and Forest and Ocean Gallery...

Dee Shapiro Illustrate Illusion, 1990 Oil painting on panel Signed twice: once on the front, and once on the back, with copyright, date and title Unique Oil on panel painting, unique Signed twice: once on the front, and once on the back, with copyright, date and title Provenance: Acquired from the estate of renowned New York art dealer Andre Zarre Frame included: Double framed in an elegant white wood museum quality frame Measurements: Framed 14.5 inches by 16.75 inches by 1.75 inches Artwork: 7.75 inches by 9.5 inches DEE SHAPIRO BIOGRAPHY Biography • Dee Shapiro (b. 1936) Dee Shapiro was born in Brooklyn, NY. She studied art and psychology in college, receiving both a BA and an MA from Queens College (1954-1960). There she studied color with abstract artist John Ferren. A semester in Mexico in 1956 introduced her to bright patterns and colors, as well as the murals of River, Orozco, and Siqueiros. From 1960 to 1968, Shapiro taught, got married, and raised kids. She still made time for art, taking painting classes with Richard Mayhew at the Brooklyn Museum. When she and her family moved to Great Neck in 1968, she founded Central Hall, the first women’s cooperative gallery in Long Island. Shapiro was also a contributor to Heresies, a feminist publication on art and politics. Shapiro explores the intersections of pattern, geometry, nature, and craft in her work. As a child, knitting instilled an interest in how patterns develop from small individual components into larger compositions, as well as the importance of counting and learning numerical patterns. Her first abstract paintings in the 1970s were based on mathematical concepts, particularly the Fibonacci sequence that generates the Golden Mean. Early works included arrangements of ordered tally marks in bright colors or gridded diagrams of the Fibonacci sequence. Shapiro soon moved to patterns that allowed her to use color intuitively within a grid. She built up the surface of the paintings by squeezing paint directly from the tube to create a woven or knitted texture. Shapiro was included in Pattern Painting at PS 1 in 1977, organized by noted curator John Perreault, which presented work by twenty-two artists working in the P&D Movement. The Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY organized a solo exhibition of her work in 1981. Her New York dealer was Andre Zarre. Shapiro was a member of the Criss-Cross Artist Collective, founded in 1974. The group originated in Boulder, CO as artists interested in Systemic Pattern Painting or Structuralism. The group expanded into New York, California and Europe with its art journal Criss-Cross Art Communications, published from 1974 to 1981. They aimed to foster group work, interaction, integration, and synthesis. The artists were interested in geometry and pattern yet worked in a variety of art forms including text, sound, film, and dance. What connected the artists were: a capacity for visual organization; valuing the importance of pattern on perception and knowledge; and a methodology of system, ordering, and counting. The artists that crossed over with the Pattern and Decoration Group were Dee Shapiro, Gloria Klein...