Texture/Pattern at Quint Contemporary

by Patricia Frischer

Texture/Pattern with Adam Belt, Kim MacConnel, Ed Moses, Anne Mudge, Zak Ové, Andrew Pasquella, Christopher Puzio & Brian Wills runs from July 15 to Aug 26 at Quint Gallery (5171 H Santa Fe St. SD) Thurs to Sat 10am - 4pm

I am a huge fan of pattern painting which I discovered in 1980’s. I like the pure joy and energy of the clashing color with the overlay of some systems of structure. There is not much conceptual content or even underlying message for these works so I guess they fall under the category of art for arts sake. But when Quint Contemporary put on this show of Texture/Pattern, they are showing it side by side with new “drawings” by Robert Irwin. I would not think of Irwin as a pattern painter and that was not probably the intention of the simultaneous showing, but Robert Irwin is continually re-inventing the way we see. And I think all these work achieve that goal.

For Irwin, he wants to be”… making a painting without making a ‘mark’ at all.”  He does this by using ordinary florescent tube housing with slightly altered neon tubes that are never turned on. From a distance especially these read as lines on a wall, with the shadows and reflection adding to the interest. Simply by calling them drawings, he makes us see these items in a new way.   Robert Pincus wrote a lovely introduction to this show, so don’t miss that. 

Robert Irwin

Robert Irwin

Kim MacConnel, SD Art Prize recipient

I saw a similar work to this one in Vienna years ago and this was my first exposure to pattern painting. These are not found fabrics sewn together but designed and painted canvas stitched together. 

Richard Allen Morris, SD Art Prize recipient

The entire handling of the painting which combines the color and texture is the forte of Morris. Painting in this style is really really hard...most people would produce mud. And Morris knows just when to stop. 

Anne Mudge

Mudge used both texture and pattern plus reflection and to enhance these complex sculptures. She creates universes and we are lucky to orbit around her world. 

Adam Belt, SD Art Prize recipient

The mystery you can not see in these images online is the shine and glimmer of some of the surfaces. Light is the real subject of these works. A little rectangle of a galaxy far, far away. 

Zak Ové

Ové is an artist new to me, and these crazy circle are all crocheted just like the tea cozy you grandma might have made. But gathered together they sing of time past, present and future. 

Ed Moses

This work shows how simple lines can create a depth of space you can loose yourself in. 

Manny Farber

Not part of the show but it is easily visible is this work by Farber soon to have a show at MOCA LA. Yes, there is a narrative, but it is really the colors and patterns that are the star of these works as well. 

Lee Materazzi was the previous show and this small room of her work is still on display. She uses her body and found object to illuminate, block and play with space

Lee Materazzi