The Santa Monica College Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery is pleased to present “Southern California Abstraction Now,” a visually rich and thought-provoking group exhibition of works by 14 artists selected by curators/artists Sheldon Figoten and Jack Chipman, whose works appear in the show along with those of Peter Alexander, Hilary Baker, Larry Bell, John Eden, Sam Erenberg, Betsy Lohrer Hall, Charles Christopher Hill, Linda King, Lies Kraal, David Mackenzie, Robin Mitchell, and Maggie Tennesen.
The exhibition will be open to the public from Tuesday, Oct. 27, to Saturday, Dec. 5, with an artist reception on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 6 pm to 8 pm. The exhibit’s curators will also lead a gallery tour on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 3 pm.
For the exhibition, Figoten and Chipman focused on a selection of artists who have contributed to a resurgence in the creation of abstract art in Southern California. “It wasn’t that long ago that art pundits were saying that painting, especially abstract painting, had reached a dead end with no observable vital signs,” said Chipman, noting that “the included artists are staunch advocates of abstraction regardless of outlook or frame of reference,” and that “color, either bold or subtle, is a common element and unifying factor.”
All of the artists have established careers in the fine arts, and many also teach or hold artist-in-residence positions at art institutes, colleges, and universities, both locally and abroad.
Figoten – respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Los Angeles art scene – has been a dedicated abstract painter for more than four decades. He is known for his paintings using pure color and forms created by oil paint poured on stretched canvas rolled with acrylic emulsion.
Chipman – renowned as an art reviewer, author, and an expert on California pottery – was once known as “Jack the Ripper” for his process of ripping, dyeing, and attaching strips of canvas to wood or bamboo poles. His recent paintings combine the free-flow of acrylic paint with hard-edge geometric shapes.
SMC’s Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery is located at the SMC Performing Arts Center on Santa Monica Boulevard at 11th Street, Santa Monica. Due to construction in progress, please enter from 11th Street.
Exhibits, receptions, and gallery tours and talks are free.
Gallery hours are noon to 5 pm Tuesday through Friday and 11 am to 4 pm Saturday.
For more information, please call 310.434.3434.
