When you read a quote like, "Even though art is dead as we have known it, painting is not," it piques interest. For one, who has the gull to say such a thing and, for another, can they back it up? Artist Steven Assael is the speaker of said quote and, yes, he can most definitely back it up with his work that will be showing at the Cressman Center for Visual Arts through Dec. 10th. He will be giving a lecture on Nov. 10th at 6 p.m. with a reception to follow at 7 p.m.
Steven Assael is a prominent figure in the New York art scene, and is currently an art instructor at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He is frequently compared to Old Masters such as Goya, Velazquez, and Rembrandt due to his expert use of traditional artistic techniques, such as dramatic lighting, richly saturated colors, and the prominence of the figure. However, this is where the similarities end. Assael depicts the human experience in ways that are believable but bizarre. A woman sits for a portrait in full goth/punk wear, which includes a leather corseted dress, a collar of 8” spikes, full metal sleeves and finger blades. She holds a WWII gas mask. She’s a warrior from the future holding an artifact from the past. Is it a statement of progress or a depiction of an underground scene that few ever encounter? Either way, the work is intriguing and beautiful in all of its human imperfection.
Lecture, Thursday, November 10, 2011, 6 p.m.
Cressman Center for Visual Arts | 100 E Main St.
Hite Art Institute | University of Louisville
Reception following lecture. 7 – 8 p.m.
More info on Steven Assael- http://forumgallery.com/artist/steven-assael/
Photo: Untitled (Superman) by Steven Assael
