Indigo: The Seventh Color at LABspace, October 14-November 4, 2017

    Beth Dary, Crue 1, 2017  Mixed dye with indigo, raw pigment and encaustic on paper, 10" x 12" (framed)

LABspace is pleased to present Indigo: The Seventh Color a group exhibition of works on indigo paper curated by Lorrie Fredette and Brece Honeycutt from October 14 – November 4, 2017. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 14 from 5:00-7:30 pm and thereafter the gallery will be open weekends 11 to 5 p.m. and by appointment through November 4.

From the curators:

The beauty of Indigo magnetically attracts the viewer. It's richness and depth is an intoxicating visual drink. Dots, dashes, cosmologies; burn marks, rusted tones, twisted strands; grids, stains, topographies; chronicle the works by Christine Aaron, Beth Dary, Grace DeGennaro, Lorrie Fredette, Valerie Hammond, Jeanne Heifetz, Lotta Helleberg, Brece Honeycutt, Patricia Miranda and Paula Overbay.

LABspace’s mission is to function as a laboratory where artists and makers experiment, trying out new methods and works. In this spirit, the artist Jeanne Heifetz assembled a group of artists to explore dyeing sheets of paper in vats of indigo ink. Indeed, the alchemical process of indigo appeared as at first the paper emerged green but then oxidized instantly into a mercurial blue; Indigo on paper creates a dramatic moment.

Indigo gives us pause to take notice; this regal color demands our attention triggering an avalanche of history. Linnaeus named the plant, Indigofera “ after its land of origin and the Latin verb fero meaning ‘to produce.’ Throughout history, Indigo symbolizes royalty for the Egyptians, denotes Krishna in Indian miniature paintings, tells of the social order in Guatemala and clads Odin in Nordic Sagas. Sought by royalty and worn by the working class in the form of uniforms and bluejeans, Michael Taussig rightly deems “indigo is the crossover color.”

"A beautiful thing, though simple in its immediate presence, always gives us a sense of depth below depth, almost an innocent wild vertigo as one falls through its levels"

- Frederick Turner

LABspace was founded and is directed by the artist Susan Jennings. The gallery is dedicated to experiments in curation, exhibiting category-busting and/or materially surprising contemporary art, and hosting performance art, screenings, readings and music that push the boundaries of categorization, participation and/or experience.

                                    Grace DeGennaro, Weaving (Indigo #3), Watercolor on indigo dyed paper, 34” x 21”

     Paula Overbay, Jouer#12, Acrylic on indigo dyed paper, 8 x 9 ½”

    Jeanne Heifetz, Mottainai 13, Ink on indigo dyed gampi torinoko paper, 11” x 15”

                       Patricia Miranda, Florilegium, 2017, indigo tincture, Indigo-dyed paper, fresh water pearls,                                      horsehair, thread, 35” x 12” x 9“

                        Lotta Helleberg, Disintegration, 2017, Japanese mulberry paper, Strathmore printing paper, indigo                         dye and botanical contact prints, hand and machine stitching, 34" x 25"

                                                           Valerie Hammond, Persephone, 2017, Relief printed collagraph 

                                                           on handmade Kozo paper, 60" x 30"

                      Christine Aaron, What We Keep IV, 2017, Burnt Drawing on indigo dyed paper, 10" x 8"

Double Vision: Artists Who Instagram September 16 - October 7

Erick Johnson and Janice Caswell in conjunction with LABspace are pleased to present “Double Vision:  Artists who Instagram." This exhibition opens on Saturday, September 16th with a reception for the artists from 5-7pm. The show runs from September 16 – October 7, 2017.

LABspace is located at 2642 NY Route 23 just west of NY Route 22 in Hillsdale in Hillsdale. The gallery is open from 11-5 on Saturdays and by appointment.

Artists Featured in "Double Vision: Artist Who Instagram" Include:

Rosaire Appel
Janice Caswell
Erick Johnson
Mary Lum
Tom Martinelli
Liz Nielsen
Chris Sauter
Karen Schifano
Karen Schiff

Artists have long turned to photography as a means of augmenting their studio practice or as an end in itself. But today so many of us have a camera on hand and numerous ways to instantly display, share, edit and store images, changing how we interact with what we see.

“Double Vision” investigates the sometimes blurred line between studio and street. When the artist leaves the studio, what do they “see” and what do they photograph? Is it an extension of their vision, a corollary practice, or something in between? How do the two feed each other?

The curators, artists who are active Instagram users themselves, became aware of many others who are taking photos that seem directly connected to the art they make. Their photographs clearly relate to their studio work, though none of these artists consider themselves photographers or envision their photographs being presented as their art.

This show pairs the artists’ studio work with a sampling of the photographs they’ve shared on Instagram, allowing the two to coexist in the gallery space and highlighting their connections to
each other.

There is a catalog accompanying this show available at the gallery which can be viewed following this link http://janicecaswell.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/DoubleVision_catalog_digital.pdf

The image above is a photo posted on Instagram by the artist Tom Martinelli 
For more information, other or larger images contact Susan Jennings at LABspacelabspaceart@gmail.com or visit labspaceart.blogspot.com.

LABspace was founded and is directed by the artist and musician Susan Jennings. The gallery is dedicated to experiments in curation, exhibiting category-busting and/or materially surprising contemporary art, and hosting performance art, screenings, readings and music that push the boundaries of categorization, participation and/or experience.