(Long Island, NY) Curator Beth McNeill of the McNeill Art Group based in Southampton has long had her finger on the pulse of the East End art scene and has brought numerous Hamptons artists to the forefront of the contemporary scene internationally. Thanks to the prodigious creative output of her brilliantly talented husband, painter, sculptor and designer Jeff Muhs, McNeill’s life is literally filled with art.
With a new installation organized for acclaimed Chelsea gallery Lyons Wier curator McNeill explores the work of eight East End (Long Island) based artists, Jack Ceglic, Tom Dash, Tapp Francke, Julia Greffenius, Nika Nesgoda, Darius Yektai, Gavin Zeigler and, of course, Jeff Muhs that share an intense investigation of personal identities. Whether entering this arena via perceived or projected indefinites, each artist draws upon popular culture as a reference point to communicate their interpretations of how they view themselves when juxtaposed to the subject matter. Whether it is literally looking into a mirror, or mirroring the community, each artist seeks to engage the audience by creating a personal dialogue that is both self-reflective and self-critical. And as with any self-examination, it directly affects those around you
“Seeking Engagement NSA” runs February 6 – February 22, 2014.
Lyons Wier Gallery is the premier Representational gallery in New York City. They champion contemporary representational artists who bring an independent spirit to their genre creating a dialogue steeped in Conceptualism but communicated via Realism. Defined by the gallery as “Conceptual Realism,” this movement far exceeds the traditional pictorial aspects of representational painting. Their artists’ masterful deftness of hand is buttressed by their integral use of color, content and iconography bringing about a broader conceptual aspect to their naturalistic compositions.
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm (or) by appointment, 542 West 24th Street, (between 10th & 11th Ave.) NY, NY 10011 212.242.6220
American Spirit acrylic and collage on canvas 2013 , Tom Dash
Cecilia 2013, acrylic and duct tape on canvas by Julia Greffenius
Artist Jeff Muhs with his sculpture Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Curator Beth McNeill & artist Jeff Muhs.
Curator Beth McNeill & artist Jack Ceglic in fornt of his painting Sabra
Artist Julia Greffenius, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, artist Darius Yektai
Beth McNeill and artist Nika Nesgoda
Lisa Iddings and Nika Nesgoda
artist Darius Yektai in front of his painting, Three Graces
Kenneth Darpoh, Beth McNeill, gallery owner Michael Lyons Wier.
Jennifer McLauchlen and Catherine Grant.
Jennifer McLauchlen, designer Lutfi Yilmaz, Catherine Grant
John Wegorzewski and artist Jeff Muhs
Art dealer Tripoli Patterson and Susan Frame
Beth McNeill and Edward Callaghan
David Schieldrop and Catherine Grant.
Hello , 2013, Neon on mirror by Tapp Francke
Installation of Seeking Engagement NSA curated by Beth McNeill.
Maria Lactans, Metallic Chromogenic print 2013 Nika Nesgoda
Ol’ Dirty Bastard (O.D.B.) 2013, Clay, rubber, gold leaf, and cubic zirconia by Jeff Muhs
Sabra, oilstick and pastel on paper, 2013, Jack Ceglic
Three Graces, 2013, Oil, watercolor, charcoal and encaustic on paper, linen & canvas Darius Yektai
