Season's Greetings from Angela Di Bello, Gallery Director

It is my hope that this holiday season finds you with loved ones. It is also my wish that the magic and merriment that surrounds you now inspires you the whole year through. Always remember that artists who came before left their footprints and a light for you to see your way through doubts and fears. They also left their knowledge so that you will see that what you are capable of will one day truly astound you.

Warm wishes for a happy, healthy, creative and prosperous New Year.

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December at Agora Gallery

On December 2nd, 2010, Agora Gallery's reception was abuzz with onlookers and collectors from all over the world, eager to celebrate the success of the artists. The onset of winter in New York is such a special time of year, when everyone is reminded of what they are truly thankful for - their family and friends. A great example of this was Paul Pierson, an artist featured in the collective exhibition who was surprised by over 50 of his family and close friends on the night of the reception. All of them proudly wore a pin on their chest to show their loving support for the artist and his achievements.

Reminding us of childhoods past with his second solo exhibition at Agora Gallery, RED: The LEGO� Brick Sculpture of Nathan Sawaya, Nathan created large scale introspective sculptures that leave the viewer guessing what is just around the corner. In his most recent work, Nathan explores the complex relationship between surrealism and the human experience. He explains his intentions himself: "In my current work, which is the focus of my new exhibition, I confound many of the expectations people may have when they consider my medium, exploring a sense of being trapped, haunted by the human spirit in my art yet constantly faced with the commercialism of the medium I have chosen to work in. The idea is to present something that makes people take a step back, perhaps even something that is quite scary, yet to do so in a way that captivates and intrigues." In RED, Nathan Sawaya has included an interactive piece, Please Do Touch, which promotes the viewers' participation. By adding 25 cents, which is donated to the Children Art Foundation, to the gumball machine, the viewer can add LEGO� bricks to the sculpture. Nathan Sawaya has been featured on Stephen Colbert, Mythbusters and was even his own Jeopardy Category.

Hundreds of onlookers weathered the chill of a New York winter to attend the December 16th reception held at Agora Gallery. Many were warmed by The Odyssey Within, an exhibition of fine art by Greek and Italian artists, highlighting the unity and artwork of many talented Mediterranean artists. Greek native Occhi Pinti is enjoying the delight of her second exhibition with Agora Gallery, spotlighting her appreciation for a more vibrant reality. Redefining artistic mediums, eco-conscious Italian artist Franco Recchia showcased his intricate sculptures, many of which are created entirely of repurposed computer parts, including one of New York's very own Central Park. Franco's cityscapes have grabbed the attention of tech-savvy collectors the world over. In the Collective Exhibition, viewers had the opportunity to meet artist Ken Lake, whose "Architecture of the Sky" compositions have placed him in the forefront of Michigan landscape art. Recording the banks of Lake Michigan, Ken creates a visual dialogue, capturing the everyday beauty found right outside your window. Drawing from several techniques, the artist Chritch wowed the audience with her ability to combine symbolism, cubism and abstraction in her signature figurative mixed media works on paper.

Some folks choose to sit on the sidelines of life, but V�roniKaH is definitely not one of them. V�roniKaH's energy fills the room the moment she walks into it. This breath of life is incorporated into each and every piece of her artwork. After several years of successful representation, V�roniKaH celebrated her first solo exhibition with Agora Gallery, entitled Metamorphosis. V�roniKaH chose this exhibit to show some of her larger pieces, drawing us in with her richness of style and color, which reflects the artist's use of unconventional textures to express fleeting emotions. "Most of the time I let my intuition decide what to do without really thinking about it. My technique is a continuous search for new visual effects never seen before. My collection includes Abstracts, flowers, nudes and collages that are a reflection of my daily life; the good and the bad, the excitements and the deceptions. I connect with people through my art, which for me is therapeutic, an essential part of my continued existence. Through my work, I remind people to search for the hidden beauty in the world, and to value their own perceptions and perspective." - V�roniKaH.

View more reception photos and the reception video here .

Agora Gallery's upcoming collective exhibition will open on January 11, 2011 and the opening reception will be held on January 13, 2011, from 6 PM to 8PM.

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Greeting Card Contest

Many thanks to all the artists who submitted an entry to our Greeting Card Contest. It was open to all of our represented artists, and we received so many wonderful images that choosing just one to use was a very difficult decision! We managed to narrow it down in the end - congratulations to Adka ('Andrea Jones') whose 'Sprout New York!', which you can see here, was the final choice.

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Chelsea International Fine Art Competition

The clock is ticking away the time to the opening of the 26th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition. Agora Gallery is the proud sponsor of this prestigious annual art contest, which will start accepting submissions on February 2, 2011 and remain open until March 14, 2011. The Art Competition is open to visual artists 18 years of age and older, from anywhere in the world and at all stages in their careers.

Join us on our mailing list, Facebook or blog for updates.

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Fashionistas (fashion meets fine art)

It appears that Agora Gallery is attracting art loving fashionistas at receptions. The "untitled" couple in this photo made a big splash at our December 16th opening. From pill box hat, off the shoulder black silk dress, black high heel boots and black gloves, this young lady had it all together and dressed to match some of the artwork. Likewise, the young man who accompanied her wore grey pin-striped trousers, grey vest over grey stripped high collar shirt, an untied bow tie, and a tartan plaid wool coat. These two well-dressed art enthusiasts captured the imagination of other fashion conscious attendees who are now becoming more and more visible at our receptions.

Rania is a regular attendee and loves to pose with the artwork. She is a painter whose work is about performance and so it is not at all a surprise to us that she enjoys posing with the art whenever possible. Rania is also a couture fashion designer who designs and/or restructures garments with a flair for drama such as the fur capped vest sweater that she is wearing in this photo.

December 2010 Newsletter

In This Issue

• Holiday Greetings
• Opening Receptions
• Greeting Card Contest
• Chelsea International Fine Art Competition
• Fashionistas (fashion meets fine art)

Exhibitions

• Metamorphosis:
  VéroniKaH / a solo exhibition
  Dates: Dec 16 - Jan 7
  Reception: Dec 16
• The Odyssey Within:
  An Exhibition of Fine Art by
  Greek and Italian Artists
  Dates: Dec 16 - Jan 7
  Reception: Dec 16
• Collective Exhibition
  Dates: Dec 16 - Jan 7
  Reception: Dec 16
• Collective Exhibition
  Dates: Jan 11 - Feb 1
  Reception: Jan 13
• Collective Exhibition
  Dates: Feb 4 - Feb 25
  Reception: Feb 10

Previous Exhibitions

View videos and photos of previous exhibitions at Agora Gallery

Contact Us

530 West 25th Street
New York, New York, 10001
212-226-4151/212-966-4380
info@agora-gallery.com

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