At the College of New Rochelle, magnolia blossoms and bright forsythia dot the campus with color, but the real blooming is going on inside, at Castle Gallery’s 9th Westchester Biennial, which runs through June 20.
By Margot Clark-Junkins
At the College of New Rochelle, magnolia blossoms and bright forsythia dot the campus with color, but the real blooming is going on inside, at Castle Gallery’s 9th Westchester Biennial, which runs through June 20.
The Westchester Biennial is a juried art show, which means that artists of all stripes may submit their work for jurors (typically artists, curators or other art professionals) to review. Three jurors from outside the County were chosen in order to encourage fairness — Lisa Cooper, Shari Mendelson, and Nick De Pirro. Only artists who reside in Westchester County are permitted to enter the Biennial and their work must be recent, completed in the past two years.
Like spring itself, the vibe here is fresh and colorful. A parade of art fills the gallery’s three spacious rooms. One of the largest oil paintings in Gallery 1, Rush by Lael Morgan (not for sale), places viewers squarely on the double-yellow dividing line of an empty road, the tall trees and lush undergrowth blurred as if we are streaking past in a car on a summer’s day. A low cloud hovers overhead and shadows fall diagonally across the pavement. It is the quintessential view we all recognize, if you have ever gazed out a car window with the breeze on your face and thought, “Mmm, nice.”
Michele Gage has painted a lovely watercolor, Working Marble Quarry 5 ($1,000), beginning with a faint grid drawn in pencil to help her map out the scene. One area is devoid of paint, however; the paper and simple grid are enough to evoke the precious blocks of snow-white marble. Three small assemblage pieces by Christopher Manning refer to faces as masks and are intriguing ($400 each).
Anne Broboff-Hajal’s Russian-themed triptych, Dress It Up in Resplendent Clothes (not for sale), holds court in Gallery 2. A large, colorful and busy painting with collaged elements, it represents the best of what art can do. It is both visually arresting and intellectually challenging; it delights the eye and elicits admiration. Russian symbols from the Czars, the Bolsheviks and the Soviet era are intertwined. The political themes are really interesting, especially now, given Russia’s current role as Protector/Aggressor in Crimea and Ukraine. Bobroff states on her website, “I believe the past is godparent to the present” and we only need to watch the news to see that she is absolutely right.
David Licata’s interesting glass sculpture, “Nesting” (price on request), dangles from the ceiling and cascades down one wall. The slender rods of borosilicate glass have been worked into a delicate mesh and catch the light nicely; unfortunately, the site is less than complimentary, with an outlet and heating pipe disrupting the effect. For those of you who prefer a bit more order (think Mondrian or Mies van der Rohe), two collages by Glen Fischer, one yellow and one red, are very satisfying ($2,200 each).
In the third or “Back” gallery, Patricia Spergel’s oil on linen painting, Boundary, is wonderfully simple, a quick swipe of fuchsia forming an empty, vanilla-colored cartouche, offset by lime green and periwinkle ($1,500). There’s lots more to see but like any garden beginning to bloom you need to visit many times. Luckily, the opening reception is coming up on May 4, 2-4.
Hours are Tuesday-Friday 11-5, and Saturday and Sunday 12-4.
