“In the galleries: Artist pushes her envelope of experimentation
Also: Visions of individuals and societies as complex spheres, divergent styles of dynamism, and works of art that honor women’s labor”
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Cwiok & Camicia
“While Robert Cwiok and Kathryn Camicia each specialize in swirls, their adjacent Studio Gallery exhibitions reveal different strategies. Cwiok’s “Pivot/Echo” consists of paintings and prints whose curving, clean-colored forms are distinct and hard-edge. Although the title of Camicia’s show is “Influence of the Earth,” her paintings feature billowing forms and liquid hues that evoke water and air.”
“Rustbelt” by Robert Cwiok, included in his show “Pivot/Echo” at Studio Gallery. (Robert Cwiok)
“Untitled #3,” by Kathryn Camicia, part of her exhibit “Influence of the Earth” at Studio Gallery. (Kathryn Camicia)
“Although most of Cwiok’s pieces are paintings, they seem to be informed by printmaking, and the few prints are among the most effective pictures. Both varieties of artwork simulate depth by making serpentine bands appear to lap over and under each other. The paintings somewhat resemble Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings, but with less regular patterns. The prints add another element: squares of color with internal patterns, through which the bending strips meander. The blocks call attention to the grid that underlies the compositions, and their contrast with the twisting bands accentuates the kinetic energy of Cwiok’s approach.
Camicia mixes latex, oil and Flashe (vinyl) paints, and tempers them with solvents, to make nature-inspired abstractions that are as rich in texture as color. The pigments have dried, and sometimes cracked, but they retain glimmers of their former fluidity. So the black-within-blue blob in “Untitled #3” feels mutable and active, like a cloud that will transform its shape momentarily. Yellows and oranges dominate many of these canvases, giving them a sunny quality, yet the pictures are simultaneously turbulent. Cwiok and Camicia’s styles share little, but they have a common dynamism.”
Robert Cwiok: Pivot/Echo and Kathryn Camicia: Influence of the Earth Through March 23 at Studio Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. studiogallerydc.com. 202-232-8734.”