La Galleria: Chris Tanner “Eye of the Heart”
“Eye of the Heart is a deeply contemplative exhibition, albeit buried under a dazzling array of glittering materials.”
– Artes Magazine
Opening reception: Thursday, January 29th, 6pm – 9pm
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 1 to 7PM, or by appointment
La MaMa Galleria is pleased to present Eye of the Heart, new mixed media work by artist Christopher Tanner. This exhibition marks Tanner’s return to La MaMa Galleria where he held his first show in 1988 and will be on view January 29 through February 15, 2015, at 47 East Jones Street. Eye of the Heart includes a series of 20 round gilded works on paper, with pigments of lilac, tangerine and hot pink are shot into the silver leaf; a second series of 22 works on Nepalese hand-made paper with large abstract landscapes overlaid by beads and glitter appear to float in an otherworldly manner; and a third series of veiled paintings of glitter and beads on tulle, some dramatic and large, others more discreet, displaying a translucence inspired by dreams played off of performance.
About the Exhibition
Eye of the Heart comes in the wake of a series of major life and career events for the artist, not the least of which was the devastation of his studio in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, in which more than 50 paintings, drawings and sculptures as well as his life’s archive of assemblage materials were destroyed. During the studio’s restoration, Tanner looked inward personally for inspiration and meaning. A series of shamanistic experiences led him to reflect on his lifelong interest in circles within circles, discoveries of personal truths and particularly the significance of the circle in its relationship to the circle of life and the eternity of the spirit. His catalogue of work and materials destroyed, he began fervently purchasing brightly colored silver leaf – a mythologically and spiritually significant metal throughout many cultures – and crafted a new series of works reminiscent of mandalas, featuring circles-within-circles, eyes, and hearts as reoccurring motifs.
La MaMa Galleria
Founded in 1984, La Galleria is a nonprofit gallery committed to nurturing experimentation in the visual arts. La Galleria encourages an active dialogue between new media, performance, the plastic and visual arts, curatorial projects, and educational initiatives. It serves the East Village community by offering diverse programming to an inter-generational audience, and expanding the parameters of a traditional gallery space. As a non-profit, La Galleria is able to provide artists and curators with unique exhibition opportunities that are largely out of reach in a commercial gallery setting.