McKenzie Fine Art: Chris Gallagher Exhibition 2008

55 Orchard Street, New York, New York 10002 212 989 5467 fax 212 989 5642


	Chris Gallagher October 10 - November 8, 2008
	Chris Gallagher creates luminous and colorful oil paintings comprised of softly-brushed, more or less parallel bands of color which run from edge to edge on the canvas. In a given work, the bands run vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and in many cases possess a gentle curve. The width of the bands varies from work to work as well as within an individual painting, and many of the paintings are optically charged. Along with the artist's choices of color contrasts, these elements convey movement within the perimeter of the painting as well as suggesting expansion beyond the edges of the canvas. The shapes, scales, and orientations of Gallagher's canvases are important elements of his work, and the exhibition features a wide range of sizes and structures. This imparts a feeling that Gallagher is capturing something much larger than the canvas itself or, perhaps, something infinitely smaller. Tondos ranging from 20 to 48 inches in diameter are a new format for the artist. The circular shape simultaneously increases the suggestion of the paintings as self-contained entities and as macro/micro vistas. The shape also lends a playfulness and buoyancy to the paintings.