Sista Chapel
November 13th, 2019 — December 15th, 2019
Opening Reception: Wednesday, November 13th, 6pm-8pm
131 Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10002
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 1pm-8pm
SFA Projects is proud to present Sista Chapel, a one-person exhibition of large scale, new works by the New Zealand born, New York based artist, Natasha Wright, opening on November 13th, 2019 and on view through December 8th, 2019. This is Wright’s first exhibition with the gallery.
“Wright’s’ conception of, and approach towards making art is far more multi-layered and complex than a single, monolithic swipe of the hand. Regardless of the subject matter, her gamut of technical options varies greatly: the multi-layered depths of paint, the multiple shades of darkness, the way the scumbled pictorial matter is layered on the canvas, all call for, and reward a slower look. Wright carries out a distinct, rich and profound dialogue with various artistic figures of the past, and, out of this dialogue between the present and past, both gain vastly.”
– Joachim Pissarro
As the title suggests, the work is inspired by the 1974 – 78 art installation, Sister Chapel, which was conceived by Ilise Greenstein and created as a collaboration by thirteen women artists during the early part of the feminist art movement.
Wright’s paintings use (secular and religious) historical images of women as a foundation on which to develop an expanding series of feminine archetypes.
“I think a lot about the representation of females throughout history alongside contemporary references. The Venus of Willendorf, The Three Graces, Joan of Arc and Cardi B are some of my many muses”, Wright explains.
Through painterly exploration, Wright has fused these references to create her own iconic language and emblematic representation of the female form. In Already A Saint the schematic structure of the painting suggests both the form of a vessel and the feminine X chromosome. Painted in oil and glitter, the materials further emphasize the spiritual quality of the work.
The women Wright paints are simultaneously strong and otherworldly mythological creatures. Thickly painted using oil, glitter and sand, when they materialize they have an almost ethereal presence, an embodiment of the divine. Wright’s women remind the viewer that angels can take on many forms.
“I like to think my paintings create my own symbol of female power and energy. This doesn’t only involve the subject and composition but also the attitude I bring to my paintings – I’m interested in the idea of attitude, to me the attitude is just as important as the subject” Wright asserts. This confidence can be seen in the directness of Wright’s drawing and sweeping bold gestures. The overall movement in the paintings is consistently rough and fast while individual passages are more meditated.