January 2011 • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Recently I visited the studio of Stephanie Barenz, Caggio's featured artist for January/February. Her show opens today (January 14th - February 14th) and also participates in Milwaukee's Gallery Night and Day, January 21st - 22nd. In the snow covered landscape of Milwaukee, not far from downtown, I had the opportunity to meet this well-known local artist. I chatted with Barenz, painter and recent MFA graduate, interested to learn more about her dreamlike and mysteriously skewed urban landscapes. What is striking to me is the parallel between her complex and brilliantly executed landscapes and her multi-dimensional thought process. Having spent a year abroad in Florence, Italy, Barenz has cultivated an evolving concept of place. In this very personal new series of work, she investigates it further, focusing on societal ideas like The Third Place. In addition, she uses opposing spacial perspectives-- respective to Western and Eastern influences-- to serve as visual metaphors within this context. Lastly, Barenz uses imagery to emphasize dreamlike states-- merging the past, present and future-- questioning what is real, and what is imagined.
A predominant concept that interests Barenz is the idea of The Third Place. The term refers to social surroundings separate from the workplace and home; Sociologists conclude the importance of The Third Place is to foster a healthy community that encourages neighborly interactions-- laying the groundwork for a civil society-- a civic-minded community where members establish a meaningful sense of place. For Barenz, The Third Place encompasses church, your local coffee shop or bar. It is a place that is warm and glowing, consisting of both memories and existing in real time. It is an environment of visceral emotions. Within this narrative the artist explores her own sense of place, developing the idea of home, bringing to the forefront not only figures-- anonymous and familiar-- but the idea of moving between locations. Whether the idea of moving between locations involves walking in one's community or traveling great distances, the essence of the action is key. Barenz seeks to elevate such ordinary actions into the realm of extraordinary, revealing the true nature of these interactions and the more significant impact they can have on society as a whole.
Opposing perspectives is an inventive and effective means by which Barenz constructs dreamlike compositions. The artist is fascinated by both Western and Eastern perspectives and plays one off the other. Whereas Western perspective is realistic, defined as linear and seeks a vanishing point; Eastern perspective is mystical, transformative and stacks vertically. As one relies on mathematics, the other defies laws of physics. Barenz takes the resulting tension-- between the real and imagined; realistic and abstract; mechanical and organic-- and transforms it into visual metaphors that question the nature of reality versus imagination; or reality versus the dream state.
Process is a journey for Barenz as she continually explores the concept of place. Taking hundreds of pictures-- documenting the world around her-- Barenz starts a composition with photographic imagery that intrigues her. The artist prefers navigating her surroundings on foot, experiencing the environment in infinite detail, as only interaction in this proximity can provide. In terms of technique, the painting begins to take form only after the initial idea is chosen. Interestingly, each painting has a spontaneous start: the artist throws Sumi Ink and acrylic paint down on a wood panel indiscriminately and lets the paint drip. The composition is entirely abstract in this phase. Next, the artist chooses several images, lays them out on the surface, shifting and rearranging until a focal point comes forth. Oftentimes the focal point is a sort of portal: an arch, alley or doorway. Only then does the artist begin sketching, using a combination of drawing, drafting, and painting. Vignettes emerge of urban landscapes-- juxtaposed and collaged like short stories-- architecture, trees, interior rooms, neighborhoods, and figures at rest or in motion. A narrative presents itself, captured unselfconsciously in a moment in time. Any figurative work comes last, inhabiting the foreground, as Barenz is at heart a representational painter and printmaker. She is focusing more on the figure in this context, as this is the direction her work is taking.
Inspired by Chinese Ink Painting, Japanese Wood Block prints and the Renaissance, Barenz's work evokes a spiritual side influenced by both Western and Eastern traditions. Symbols such as the arch carry significant meaning. Most importantly, it can signify a period of transition; the gateway by which one moves from one place to another. This transition represents change, like an open door into the artist's constantly evolving concept of place. Apropos, as Barenz is preparing to move to Portland, Oregon in the coming months. Other artistic influences range from abstract painter Julie Mehretu; to the painter and collage artist Mark Bradford; to the painter and installation artist Franz Ackermann; to German Expressionism.
I enjoyed learning first-hand about Barenz's concepts, techniques and thoughtful process. Her new series of paintings is indeed an extraordinary and personal exploration of themes relative not only to our own lives, but society at large.
Recently I visited the studio of Stephanie Barenz, Caggio's featured artist for January/February. Her show opens today (January 14th - February 14th) and also participates in Milwaukee's Gallery Night and Day, January 21st - 22nd. In the snow covered landscape of Milwaukee, not far from downtown, I had the opportunity to meet this well-known local artist. I chatted with Barenz, painter and recent MFA graduate, interested to learn more about her dreamlike and mysteriously skewed urban landscapes. What is striking to me is the parallel between her complex and brilliantly executed landscapes and her multi-dimensional thought process. Having spent a year abroad in Florence, Italy, Barenz has cultivated an evolving concept of place. In this very personal new series of work, she investigates it further, focusing on societal ideas like The Third Place. In addition, she uses opposing spacial perspectives-- respective to Western and Eastern influences-- to serve as visual metaphors within this context. Lastly, Barenz uses imagery to emphasize dreamlike states-- merging the past, present and future-- questioning what is real, and what is imagined.
A predominant concept that interests Barenz is the idea of The Third Place. The term refers to social surroundings separate from the workplace and home; Sociologists conclude the importance of The Third Place is to foster a healthy community that encourages neighborly interactions-- laying the groundwork for a civil society-- a civic-minded community where members establish a meaningful sense of place. For Barenz, The Third Place encompasses church, your local coffee shop or bar. It is a place that is warm and glowing, consisting of both memories and existing in real time. It is an environment of visceral emotions. Within this narrative the artist explores her own sense of place, developing the idea of home, bringing to the forefront not only figures-- anonymous and familiar-- but the idea of moving between locations. Whether the idea of moving between locations involves walking in one's community or traveling great distances, the essence of the action is key. Barenz seeks to elevate such ordinary actions into the realm of extraordinary, revealing the true nature of these interactions and the more significant impact they can have on society as a whole.
Opposing perspectives is an inventive and effective means by which Barenz constructs dreamlike compositions. The artist is fascinated by both Western and Eastern perspectives and plays one off the other. Whereas Western perspective is realistic, defined as linear and seeks a vanishing point; Eastern perspective is mystical, transformative and stacks vertically. As one relies on mathematics, the other defies laws of physics. Barenz takes the resulting tension-- between the real and imagined; realistic and abstract; mechanical and organic-- and transforms it into visual metaphors that question the nature of reality versus imagination; or reality versus the dream state.
Process is a journey for Barenz as she continually explores the concept of place. Taking hundreds of pictures-- documenting the world around her-- Barenz starts a composition with photographic imagery that intrigues her. The artist prefers navigating her surroundings on foot, experiencing the environment in infinite detail, as only interaction in this proximity can provide. In terms of technique, the painting begins to take form only after the initial idea is chosen. Interestingly, each painting has a spontaneous start: the artist throws Sumi Ink and acrylic paint down on a wood panel indiscriminately and lets the paint drip. The composition is entirely abstract in this phase. Next, the artist chooses several images, lays them out on the surface, shifting and rearranging until a focal point comes forth. Oftentimes the focal point is a sort of portal: an arch, alley or doorway. Only then does the artist begin sketching, using a combination of drawing, drafting, and painting. Vignettes emerge of urban landscapes-- juxtaposed and collaged like short stories-- architecture, trees, interior rooms, neighborhoods, and figures at rest or in motion. A narrative presents itself, captured unselfconsciously in a moment in time. Any figurative work comes last, inhabiting the foreground, as Barenz is at heart a representational painter and printmaker. She is focusing more on the figure in this context, as this is the direction her work is taking.
Inspired by Chinese Ink Painting, Japanese Wood Block prints and the Renaissance, Barenz's work evokes a spiritual side influenced by both Western and Eastern traditions. Symbols such as the arch carry significant meaning. Most importantly, it can signify a period of transition; the gateway by which one moves from one place to another. This transition represents change, like an open door into the artist's constantly evolving concept of place. Apropos, as Barenz is preparing to move to Portland, Oregon in the coming months. Other artistic influences range from abstract painter Julie Mehretu; to the painter and collage artist Mark Bradford; to the painter and installation artist Franz Ackermann; to German Expressionism.
I enjoyed learning first-hand about Barenz's concepts, techniques and thoughtful process. Her new series of paintings is indeed an extraordinary and personal exploration of themes relative not only to our own lives, but society at large.
