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Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

“Sonic Chromatic” Showcasing works by deaf or hard of hearing artists Tamarind Art Gallery

In Contemporary Art, art does not serve as a simple viewing of beauty or reflecting of history, but rather becomes an IDEA. The idea is the medium of expressing the artist’s thoughts, feelings, or concerns. In this exhibition, artists deal with linguistics and semiotics, exploring how meaning is comprehended, vision and the sense of illusion, human expression, surrealism, conceptualism, the intricacies of the human mind, or the purity of the elements and principles of art.
Loaded with meaning, some of the artists from this show depict the barriers and struggles concerning communication and what it means to be Deaf, however, some deliberately seek to show that they are not drawing from their deaf identity and create works of art that represent other facets of their selves. In addition to the different mediums a wide range of artist styles are explored from pure abstraction, to photorealism highlighting unique creative process. This exhibition exposes the inner workings of each artist, revealing a common experience.

About the Artists

Jenamarie Bacot’s works show deep concern towards the depreciation of Life. Her playful, creative process has a room for improvising the final outcome. She also draws from selected motifs from the caves of the past such as, the Lascaux caves. Upon selecting certain motifs, she creates intimate interplay of forms that remind us of a time past when the primitive people lived in harmony with their environment.

Robin Bartholick, though using ever evolving technology and methods such as digital manipulation, turns three-dimensional reality into two-dimensional artworks where photographs are transformed into elaborately reworked, surreal images. These astonishing art works are as re-structures, layered, fragmented and monochrome, as complex as the thought process that forms their source.

Randy Dunham’s art is a form of focus employing reflection, refraction, and transparency, which transform randomly selected inanimate and industrial shape into a spectacle of wonder and vision. These transformed objects come to life through the mastery of created illusions of transparency and levitation. A dazzling array of color shifts and vibrant accents are incorporated on the surface of these dreamlike art forms.

Patti Durr is a mixed media artist, filmmaker, and playwright. As an Associate Professor in the Cultural and Creative Studies Department for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, Patti received the Eisenhart Award for outstanding teaching. Durr was one of the founders of Lights On! a community theatre company committed to dramas about the deaf experience, and served as artistic director for several years.

John Fitzsimmons’ figurative style took time to reach, as until recently he was creating non-narrative, painterly landscapes that examined his own existence in harmony with nature. The expressionistic use of bold colors of earlier works abruptly gave way to more subtle color scheme and abstract subject matter evolving into figurative themes, set against the tonal backdrop of natural landscapes. The metaphorical usage of serene colors, the rhythmic movements of the protagonist, the realistically done attributes are all like motifs stitched together with excellent skill and obliquity of his inner urges.

Randy Garber’s studio practice is divided between her workspace in Boston’s South End neighborhood and the Mixit Print Studio in Somerville, MA. She works eclectically, with a passion for using traditional printmaking and painting techniques to express her intensively researched contemporary concerns and concepts.

Leon Lim is a New York based contemporary artist with his rich “East-meets-West” background, who works in several mediums such as film, sculpture, abstract-structure, painting, interior architecture, graphic design, photography public art and multimedia installations. His compositions explore themes of heritage preservation and social segregation, the communication barriers, the intertwining of all realms of life and death, and the politics of identity and culture. Lim collects everyday objects to create new works that increase opportunities for viewers to think, analyze and explore.

Tracey Salaway’s short films are lyrical, compelling stories that combine dreams and humor to convey aspects of the deaf experience. Salaway wants her audience to understand that there are certain choices that Deaf people make in their lives, and sometimes choices are made for them. In the end the questions are reverted back

Robin Taylor’s work often expresses the frustration of being a hard-of-hearing person, caught in between hearing, hard of hearing and deaf realities. She uses her theatrical background and daily-life anecdotes to shape her sculptures that evoke the feeling of hope and recovery. She shows deep concern for surface, contour and effective texture which gives a unique quality to her works; irrespective of their size.

Charles Wildbank is well known for his versatility of a wide range of figurative themes including florals, still life, portraits and seascapes. Wildbank’s style is characterized by his flare for Photorealism with hints of Surrealism. Observable form and vivid color have long been attributed to Wildbank’s art. His recent works appear to experiment with the abstract and the surreal christened as the HADO Series. “Love” shows his passion for archeology. In this painting he has notions of the ancient rituals of human sacrifice, where hearts were put on the altar.

About Deaf Council

The Deaf Council’s mission to promote interaction between the deaf/hard of hearing community and the hearing community through shared interests such as art and technology. The Council seeks to break the barrier of communication between these groups and create awareness of the deaf/hard of hearing and their presence in communities worldwide.

The Deaf Council, a service of Tamarind Art Council, Inc., holds frequent networking events – which include wine and cheese events, art shows and more – at its midtown location in Manhattan and throughout New York City. In March 2009 the Deaf Council successfully held its inaugural Gallery Tour, guiding deaf/hard of hearing participants through ASL-interpreted tours of art galleries in Chelsea.

More information about the Deaf Council and updates about networking events can be found online at http://www.deafcouncil.org.

About TamarindArt

TamarindArt Gallery’s main focus is to introduce Indian contemporary art to a larger audience and to create a platform for intellectual dialogue between senior and younger artists. for more information visit our website at http://www.tamarindart.org