Month: November 2023

In New York’s great history as an art capital, an appreciation for both the figurative and abstract tradition, has gradually cultivated itself as the twin pillars which exemplify the strength of New York. Both influence multi-dimensional artist, Rebecca Stenn whose solo exhibition, Face, is the theme of the upcoming exhibition by Saphira & Ventura Gallery.

Curated by Alcinda Saphira.

While initiating her career as a dancer and choreographer, Rebecca Stenn has lent her grace from the movement of music to the movement of the brush. Inspired by the strokes and textures of rich abstraction paintings, the artist intrinsically links her decades of dance performance to the importance of space and proximity in her pieces. In her new series, Face, the pieces explore what happens when she excludes features, allowing lines, colors and spaces to fill them in for the viewer. In essence, the viewer lays their own story onto the abstract face in front of them. While a variety of techniques are applied to her other works, Stenn also guides her brush to the creation of portraits and faces in other series.

Exploring the passions, sentiments and sensations of a face, the exhibition includes a few pieces which dive into the architectural faces of hills, mountains and rivers. In the description of her process, the artist remarks “I want to paint a face that tells a story, that holds a question, that is lost in thought or reverie.” The exhibition will feature other works in addition to the Face series culminating in her panoramic experience. Stenn’s career too has been wide and innovative, with previous exhibitions being held in cities abounding the globe such as Venice and Milan in Italy, London, Lisbon together with New York and Miami.