Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV (1888PressRelease)
May 23, 2007 - Nevin Kelly Gallery
"Color Transparencies"
Joan Belmar
May 23 - June 17
Joan Belmar is not a linear thinker. In fact, he thinks very much in circles. His work has always eschewed the notion that the straight line is a fundamental element of artistic composition. Recently, he has abandoned the strictures of the singular plane of the canvas as well.
For "Color Transparencies," the artist has constructed works from strips of painted Mylar that he fashions into circles and curvilinear forms and mounts on-edge to a backing of paper, wood or other material. These shapes form the main compositional elements of the work. He overlays the composition with translucent sheets of frosted acetate in which he has cut out shapes that reveal the strips of Mylar beneath. He draws on portions of the acetate so that elements of the composition exist above, within and below the frosted plane.
The multicolored strips show clearly where the acetate has been cut away. Where it remains, the strips appear as if through a fog. The width of the strips, sandwiched between the backing and the layer of acetate, gives the works literal depth.
The Lyrical Mylar constructions of Chilean born, Washington based artist Joan Belmar.
In his recent work he has created a unique technique of 3-D painting, which combines his former painting and collage techniques with painted and untreated Mylar and acetate strips in circles and curvilinear shapes placed perpendicular to a painted background and then covered again (not always entirely) with a lightly frosted mylar that produces changes in transparency as light and the viewer move in relation to the work. This new work has attracted the attention of many art consultants and curators and collectors in DC: he has been asked to exhibit in WPA\C venues, has contributed successfully in many charitable art auctions, is included in the DC art bank and is his work is part of the permanent collection in The Wilson Building.
Belmar's translucent sculptures are in the tradition of the abstract wooden boxes created 50 years ago by Louise Nevelson, yet completely fresh and original in their use of color and materials to achieve an almost shimmering effect.
Although Belmar's new work is still relatively unknown in Washington, he was recently nominated by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities as finalist for its prestigious Outstanding Emerging Artist of the Year Award
