The crossroads of ordinary stillness and extraordinary movement are explored by artist Andy Denzler in Dissonance and Contemplation, now being shown at Claire Oliver in Chelsea. Working with oil on canvas, the subject matter of Denzler’s paintings are primarily small moments of intimacy shared by the figures included in each piece.
Interrupting these captured moments, however, are gestural bands of movement that swipe across the canvas in powerful strokes. These stripes of action literally and figuratively blur the images and lend a sense of dissonance and dizziness to the scene.
Denzler begins each piece by creating a photorealistic image and then subsequently blurs the canvas section by section, using a wet-on-wet technique that brings not only movement to the piece but mystery as well. The grainy texture makes his work feel almost like still shots from an old 16mm film. And in fact, he often references old movies in the titles of his pieces.
Andy Denzler: Dissonance and Contemplation runs through Oct. 15.
Claire Oliver: 513 W. 26th St., bet. 10th & 11th Aves. (212) 929-5949. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
