Tony Philippou
The Construct of Abstraction
September 5 - September 26, 2006
Reception:
Thursday September 7, 2006 6-8 PM
Press Release
The foundation of Tony Philippou’s paintings and illustrations are the principles of light, color and design. Following in the footsteps of Vermeer, he has put light and perceptions of it first and foremost, allowing the viewers to grasp mood based on illumination. Originally from the Bronx, Philippou was fascinated with comic books at an early age and Lichtenstein's influence, as well as Rockwell's and Bacon’s, is apparent in his works. Philippou uses pulsating colors and geometrical figures to contextualize his subjects and define their character. A woman's dress may have a wild triangular pattern, while the figure of another may appear to merge into her environment. Somehow they are out of place in our reality, yet comfortable in theirs. Philippou's art became a reality at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where he made the transition from illustration to oils. In addition, Philippou has used his painting as a springboard to the commercial arena, where his strokes can be seen graphically on t-shirts and in advertisements. As Ideology and symbolism have long played a part in religious depictions, Philippou’s new series “Jeezus Pieces” play off of this symbolism and Ideology, and create a fresh juxtaposition of character and religious symmetry. Who or what is Jeezus is not the point but the possibilities of who he could be. Splattered halos encapsulate the portrait of this iconic figure while his body is adorned with geometrically vibrant hearts and his infamous crown of thorns. Jeezus has been modernized in contemporary settings and background colors that radiate an obvious transition from the normal settings he's accustomed to. Possibilities remain limitless in regards to who or what Jeezus could end up becoming.
Invitation to the exhibition
|
View the catalog page
|
Artists in this exhibition
|
