Current Exhibit

The Douglas & Linda Paul Gallery
Located on the second floor of the historic Englert Theatre
Open from 1 to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, and before, during & after performances.

Suspended Art In Iowa

JOSÉ ASSOULINE BRINGS PAINTINGS AND RECEPTION TO THE ENGLERT THEATRE GALLERY

Artist José Assouline will display an exhibit of his work, "Suspended Art in Iowa: An exhibit of contemporary Art in a Classic Environment", at The Englert Theatre Gallery now through May 17th. The exhibit can be viewed during Englert Box Office Hours (Mon-Fri, 1:00-6:00 PM), and is open to audience members one hour before each show and during performances. This exhibit will be included in First Friday’s, a monthly event coordinated by the Chait Galleries Downtown, on April 4th and May 2nd. First Friday’s are a celebration of art and community throughout downtown Iowa City. Multiple businesses will offer receptions, demonstrations and opportunities for community members to learn more about local arts.

A reception will take place Friday, May 2 from 5:30 -7:30 PM in honor of Assouline’s exhibit in the Englert Gallery. Light refreshments will be served.

A native of France, José Assouline grew up in Provence, the neighborhood of Cezanne and Van Gogh. Color, lighting, and the fresh sent of the sea lightly suspended in the air of this Mediterranean setting left a permanent imprint on his artistic mind. His training in France and later in the US taught him techniques to work with various media. He visually captures the external world through an amalgam of his past and a virtual cultural concept. Taking everyday life and landscape and turning it into a colorful blend of textures and vibrant tints is his imaginary mission. He is inspired by the subtle contrasts between what is routine, common, and expected and the unexpected and unusual. The same scene might take on a different look depending on the time of the day, the circumstances, and even his mood. As an artist, one is merely recording the outside view but this interpretation goes trough a filtration process before it is applied onto a canvas. This “secondary’ interpretation is unique and is the quaint, yet essential expression of his artistic creation. Of course perceptions are transformed and are altered with life experiences. José Assouline moved to Iowa in the late 70s and his art took on new dimensions. The colors, the landscape, the change of seasons are different from his roots. These variations have sharpened his acute descriptive sense of his immediate environment.

For more information, please visit http://joeassoulineart.googlepages.com.


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Image: Mediterraneain Calme Bleu by José Assouline.

When: Until May 17th