NEW YORK, NY –– May 9th, 2019 –– Kathryn Markel Fine Arts is pleased to present The Pause that Refreshes, a solo exhibition of recent paintings by Fran Shalom.
In this new body of work, Shalom’s quirky, abstract paintings strike a balance between formality and playful exuberance. Shapes are pared to their basic elemental forms and animated in vibrant, cartoony color with clearly defined edges, representing a quest for order and simplicity. The forms reference the human body but are open to interpretation. They become characters that inhabit her studio, keeping her company and engaging in silent conversations.
Writing about her work, art critic John Yau said, “Can we see things for what they are, even if we cannot name them, cannot in in that regard have dominion over them?” That statement speaks to ambiguity and being comfortable with not knowing.
Shalom draws inspiration from her Zen Buddhist practice and says:
“In Zen there is a wonderful saying: Not knowing is most intimate. It suggests approaching something with open-minded and whole-hearted curiosity. I begin my paintings this way, with a willingness to be present with uncertainty, and with the confidence that the process will result in work that both satisfies and inspires.”
Fran Shalom has exhibited throughout the United States, including at John Davis Gallery, Fogg Art Museum, Sideshow Gallery, New York Studio School, Washington Project for the Arts, and Galerie LeLong. Her work is in the collections of Biblioteque National in France, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York, Fogg Art Museum and Rose Art Museum in Massachusetts, and the Erie Museum of Art in Pennsylvania.
