Devon Govoni
Labyrinth of Color
July 21 - August 11, 2009
Reception:
Thursday July 23, 2009 6-8 PM
Press Release
Devon Govoni, a Boston-based artist, curator and art therapist, paints in an engaging, expressionist style that gives her portraits and still lives an energetic immediacy. Her subjects' gazes and poses, the positions of the objects she portrays all make for paintings that are virtually confrontational, arresting the viewer's eyes with intimate portrayals that alternately seem tinged with anger and sadness. Govoni uses her brush and palette to heighten and qualify these emotive tendencies, calmer, reflective subjects portrayed with smaller strokes and paler colors, others infused with strong feelings by dripped, scraped stronger, darker colors.
The resulting aesthetic melds insightful portraits of Govoni's subjects and a psychological profile of the artist herself. This expressionism reveals as much about the figures seen as the subject seeing them, offering a portrait of an artist who's both impassioned and self-conscious, strong and tempered. Devon Govoni transmits this humanist edge in her work through the redemptive light in which she portrays her subjects.
Artist Statement
I find it fascinating to communicate through art. My process begins with the simple intent of filling the empty space in front of me. As I progress, meaning and interpretations develop. By the time I am finished with a piece, I have attached many stories, emotions and life experiences to the canvas, filling it with layers of meaning. These components come from within myself, and also from others with whom I come into contact. Listening to others and learning from others is crucial for me, because I want people to be able to relate to my work, interpret what they see in relation to their own lives. I believe that there is a great deal of warmth that can be taken from my work. I hope that people can find some comfort in what I offer them through my creations.
Invitation to the exhibition
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Artists in this exhibition
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