All entries tagged with “Alfstad& Contemporary”

Alfstad& Opens New Exhibit Today, Reception With Artist Tonight

Posted by Philip Lederer on Saturday Feb 28, 2015 11:41 am

Newly opened Alfstad& Contemporary Art Gallery opens its second show today, debuting a collection of large-scale constructions, paintings, drawings and serigraphs from Ringling College professor and three-time resident artist with the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Michael Wyshock. An opening reception tonight at 5pm is the community’s chance to meet the artist and discuss the work.

Entitled “Devil’s Swamp,” the vibrant colors and energetic compositions first seem at odds with the name, but the artist’s process informs the darkness which the name evokes. Utilizing found objects, much of the work comes from objects Wyshock collected following the aftermath of the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina. The great canvases are actually abandoned tarps stitched together; the title piece is crafted from the remains of a fallen fence, cut reeds, cloth and rope, all reinvented through Wyshock’s touch.

“When Michael [Wyshock] took us inside and showed us “Devil’s Swamp,” I was floored,” said Sam Alfstad, owner and operator of Alfstad&, who paid Wyshock a visit at his studio. “The history of the piece, the technique, the color, the wild combination of materials – I knew it was a master work, a really important work.”

Following the previous exhibit – a sculptural exploration called “Rubber, Metal and Stone” – Wyshock’s work, exquisite on its own, within this context hints at a varied approach for the new gallery as well, not tied down by medium or content.

“There is a wealth of undiscovered art talent in Sarasota,” said Sam Alfstad, owner and operator of the gallery. “And at Alfstad& we want to help bring these artists to art lover’s attention.”

“Devil’s Swamp” opens today at Alfstad& Contemporary and runs until Mar. 27. The opening reception with the artist begins at 5pm this afternoon.

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