By James Lipsitz • Special to The Current
Unshackled from the restrictions of years past, in 2022 many art-loving travelers embarked once again on far away excursions, often to Europe, with a shared desire to reclaim the freedom of life’s adventures sprinkled here and there with a dose of culture and the finer things in life as previously enjoyed. According to statistics, the top five most visited countries in the world this summer were France, Spain and the United States, followed by Italy and China, all representing tourism-enticing cultural heritage, sophistication of urban centers, and natural wonders.
The sweltering temperatures of summer did not prevent the many cultural events of 2022 from going ahead as planned, and neither did it discourage the participating audiences from attending them. One of such cultural attractions, famous for wooing both art connoisseurs and art lovers, and generating multitudes of international visitors is The Venice Art Biennale (La Biennale d’Arte di Venezia) – an indoor and outdoor art exposition held biannually in Italy between April and November in the historic city of Venice, as one of the largest and most important cultural events in the world, dedicated to showcasing contemporary visual art in its many forms.
Primary focused on fine art, this year’s 59th edition also includes film, theater, music, dance and architecture, spanning across several thousand square yards of exhibition space, engulfing most of Venice’s historic buildings and modern pavilions, in the effort to host contemporary cultural productions from 75 countries. Contained within a constellation of three parallel narratives: a) the Central Pavilion art exhibition featuring 213 selected artists, traditionally curated by the Biennale’s appointed artistic director, this year dominated by women artists; b) 80 competing national pavilions, representative of individual countries; and c) a plethora of independent international art galleries, setting up exhibitions throughout town –upholding the original goal of the Biennale (since its conception in 1895) to promote experimental, radical and unorthodox art movements worldwide.
Sometimes referred to as the Olympics of the art world, every two years Venice transforms itself for six months into a living art gallery, with visitors playing part of art installations, where film projections, dance and music fill the buildings, permeating the streets, spewing into the canals, invading the senses, and wooing guests to even the smallest crevasses of its architectural maze. The clash, or aesthetic juxtaposition, of contemporaneity against ancient, avant garde against classical, fleeting versus timeless could not be played out in a better location than Venice, with its long history of reinventing itself.
Participation in the Venice Art Biennale, the oldest continuous art show of its kind and one of the most popular and culturally diverse artistic events in Europe, is undoubtedly a very prestigious and most coveted moment in the career of any contemporary artist chosen to have their work displayed during this time in Venice. As for the audience, it is a marvelous time for experiencing first hand the richness of creative challenge and boundary-pushing aesthetic innovations in art, music, dance and architecture.
Traditionally, the Biennale has been awarding prizes to exceptional artists since its first edition back in 1895. There are several categories for which the international jury awards their prices: a) the Golden Lion for the best national pavilion (won this year by Great Britain), b) the Golden Lion for the best artist of the Central Exhibition (this time won by American artist Simone Leigh), c) the Silver Lion for the best promising young participant (won by Ali Cherri from France), and two Special Mentions awarded to outstanding artists in the international exhibitions (won this year by American artist Lynn Hershman Leeson, and Nunavut artist Shuvinai Ashoona from Canada), plus, new this year, two Golden Lions awards for Lifetime Achievement (presented to German artist Katharina Fritsch and Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña).
This summer, Jim Thorpe artist Yvonne Wright of Studio YNW represented our town on an international scale as one of ten artists selected to have their works displayed for three months at the Tana Art Space in Venice during the Biennale – a wonderful opportunity that enabled the artist to debate contemporary social issues with her art internationally. The only North American artist at the Tana Art Space at the time, Yvonne’s painting Fragile Assertion (executed in acrylic on board), was beautifully displayed on a Medieval brick wall of an historic gallery space imbued with the aura of “old masters.” Unsurprisingly, the show at the Tana Art Space resonated well with the visiting audiences, and Yvonne received follow up invitations for other shows.
Executed in the artistic style closest to the artist’s heart – Surrealism – Fragile Assertion falls into a category of what Joan Miró noted about the movement in 1936 “what really counts is to strip the soul naked,” later adding that “it seems vital [in art] to give the spectator an immediate blow between the eyes before a second thought can interpose.” Wrestling with conscience, Yvonne’s rendition of a female Hamlet alludes to a person caught between hesitation, fear and determination. It is a vision in extremis, and a symbolic articulation of an action passing into history with an outcome unknown. The painting’s inconspicuous narration does not immediately reveal its true meaning, but hints at an unfolding drama. Referencing a Shakespearian play with its timeless monologue “To be, or not to be, that is the question” Yvonne’s work deals with the issue of abortion, but is non-judgmental in its message.
Fragile Assertion communicates its message about abortion through a snapshot-like portrait of a person whose intense gaze implies seriousness of contemplation. Rendered in a hyper-realistic manner, Yvonne’s signature human/bird hybrid style is evocative of the artist’s unconventional interpretation of the Surrealist cannon, and her love of ancient history, particularly Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures and their association with human/animal hybrids in their art.
In Fragile Assertion Yvonne appropriated the hawk’s piercing gaze in order to articulate the drama of decision-making, allowing fantasy to describe reality, more effectively than if expressed with human features. “She stands at the helm peering with [her] steady eyes into the portfolio of time,” wrote Matisse in 1936, as if perfectly describing a classically executed work ninety years into the future.
If you haven’t seen Yvonne Wright’s painting in Venice during your summer travels, there is plenty more to see at her gallery in Jim Thorpe, PA. Studio YNW is located in a quiet neighborhood of Jim Thorpe’s west end, and can be easily spotted when walking up West Broadway towards the Old Jail Museum. Climbing up a few steps to enter the gallery is certainly worth the effort, as you will encounter a diverse selection of creative mediums, from traditional fine art to digital media. Yvonne’s current art practice privileges acrylics on canvas or wood, stemming from her earlier interest in egg tempera. She is attracted to acrylic paints because of their water soluble, opaque properties that offer the freedom to layer colors more quickly. Yvonne is also proficient in traditional printmaking techniques like etching and lithography (hand-pulled off limestone tablet), but equipment access restrictions limit her output.
Yvonne’s art has already succeeded at seducing the imagination of many private collectors, and appreciative audiences visiting the gallery and/or shopping online, with her broad range of genres, from whimsical pastiche to evocative works demonstrative of her keen and sympathetic eye for social issues and human frailties. Her works can be found in public collections in several countries, and she is a member of a number of prestigious American art societies, including The Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C., the Miniature Artists of America, and Getty Images – all by invitation only. You can follow the artist here: https://www.facebook.com/studio.ynw
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