Wednesday, March 12, 2014

R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, Exhibits Works by Painter Ricardo Xavier

R.B. Stevenson Gallery
“Kinetic Contrasts”:  Ricardo Xavier
February 22 – March 29th
review by Cathy Breslaw
www.cathybreslaw.com
www.artfullifebycathy.blogspot.com

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.

Looking Forward    acrylic on canvas    60" x 60"    2013

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