In Gil Bar-Tur’s paintings, the image of a tree is a metaphor for the evolving self and an expression of the universal élan vital. The actual and potential coexist in a tree, which, though appearing lifeless in winter, contains the latent possibility for abundant growth in spring. The paintings in this his first … Read More
In Gil Bar-Tur’s paintings, the image of a tree is a metaphor for the evolving self and an expression of the universal élan vital. The actual and potential coexist in a tree, which, though appearing lifeless in winter, contains the latent possibility for abundant growth in spring. The paintings in this his first solo exhibition, comprise a meditation on the rhythms of life; a soulful exploration of the difficulty and beauty of both mindfulness and human interaction. The tree is central to these works, and variously, vines become pathways, camouflages for danger and ultimately create crossroads for changing direction.
The exuberant works in this exhibition have strong ties both formally and conceptually to the tradition of Fauvism and early works of Kandinsky; and Van Gogh and Gauguin have significantly inspired Bar-Tur. In terms of materials, the paintings in this show are composed in acrylic and some include assemblaged elements constructed with plaster, plastic, foam, wire, metal and canvas strips. In his paintings, Bar-Tur maintains a mythic playoff between darkness and light, but the overriding theme is always renewal.
Gil Bar-Tur lives and works in New York.
Stephanie Rose, 2011 Read Less
