Allen Bentley
Wild Ride
PHILADELPHIA, PA – January 10, 2005 – The Bridgette Mayer Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of paintings and works on paper by Philadelphia painter Allen Bentley. “Wild Ride” will take place February 2 – February 26, 2005 with an opening reception Friday, February 4th from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
This is Bentley’s second solo exhibition of works at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery. On view will be recent oil on canvas paintings and charcoal on paper works ranging in size from 12 x 15” and 28 x 35” up to 48 x 60” and 60 x 60”.
As Allen Bentley’s last 12 years of art making evidences, he has always been drawn to the figure. Bentley started exploring working with figures in motion from an overhead perspective in his last semester of graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. He has continued with this subject adding layers of idea and technical complexity to his medium.
Bentley’s newest body of work continues to explore dancing couples from a bird’s eye view perspective along with a new series of “wrestling figures” from multiple vantage points. These new “wrestling figure” paintings feature semi-nude figures in various stages of play and action. The figures are backed by brightly painted grounds of warm and cool color.
The two series of works strike a brilliant dialogue between the classical and contemporary within figurative painting. The viewer is engaged in Bentley’s supreme command of the figure as well as the energy and spirit of the work.
Writing on his new paintings, Bentley asks the question: “In this world, what is more meaningful than contact. . . real contact? A touch, a playful exchange, a grab, a spin, a tickle, a caress: all shape our interactions. These glimpses of connection make the moment significant, they linger in our memories, influencing our thoughts and our emotions. We build lives around these moments.”
Allen Bentley received his M.F.A from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA in 2000 and a B.F.A. from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee NC in1996. He has been featured in several solo exhibitions locally and nationally including the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Artworks Gallery and the Phoenix Gallery, New York. In 2005, Bentley will have several solo exhibitions including: the Philadelphia Airport exhibition space, Terminal B, the Atrium Gallery - Corning Community College, Ithaca , NY and the Melvin Art Gallery - Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL.
Allen Bentley’s work is featured in private collections locally and nationally.
The artist will be present at the opening reception, First Friday, February 4th from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. There will be an exhibition catalogue to accompany the show and additional images may be found on the gallery website at: www.mayerartconsultants.com
Gallery hours are by appointment as well as Wednesday – Saturday 11:00- 5:30 p.m. For additional information please contact Bridgette Mayer, 215.413.8893 Fax 215.413.2283
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