R.B. Stevenson Gallery
“Kinetic Contrasts”:
Ricardo Xavier
February 22 – March 29th
review by Cathy Breslaw
www.cathybreslaw.com
www.artfullifebycathy.blogspot.com
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| Flow acrylic on canvas 48" x 96" 2013 |
Color, pattern and design
take center stage in this exhibition of works by artist Ricardo Xavier. The
exhibition is made up of 37 works - acrylic on canvas paintings, water based
screen-prints on paper and small circular works of acrylic on round wood
panels. Standing among Xavier’s works, one feels the vibe of Mardi Gras in New
Orleans or Carnival in Brazil – saturated and intense colors swirl and sway
into complex multi-dimensional repetitive patterns that dance on the surface
and below. While these paintings send the viewers’ eyes into overdrive, once
settled into focusing on one painting at a time, we are able to capture the
energy and layering of patterns and can make sense of the gestalt of the piece.
There are obvious systems employed to create these surface designs and we can
see a behind the scenes methodical approach to creating the work. One wall of the gallery is devoted to 28
fourteen inch round acrylic works on panel, each with its own design and color
palette. It is here that the viewer can
digest Xavier’s work in small bites, slowing down the process of understanding
the work and getting to its essence.
These small works are energetic compositions that appear as microcosms
of the other much larger scale works in the show.
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| Looking Forward acrylic on canvas 60" x 60" 2013 |
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