SOCO Gallery presents "Into the Woods", an exhibition of new works by artist Douglas Melini

The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, March 28, 2024


SOCO Gallery presents "Into the Woods", an exhibition of new works by artist Douglas Melini
Douglas Melini, installation view. Image by Lydia Bittner-Baird. Courtesy of the artist and SOCO Gallery.



CHARLOTTE, NC.- SOCO Gallery presents “Into the Woods”, an exhibition of new works by artist Douglas Melini. This is the artist’s first solo exhibition with SOCO Gallery.

Influenced by an unlikely combination of Minimalism, pattern, and decoration, Melini investigates color, space, and the “abstract and pictorial nature of making an image”. He challenges how the audience views his works by opening up the visual space and distorting horizon lines. Adhering to the Bauhaus maxim “form follows function”, his artwork creates a pause for the viewer, allowing and encouraging a moment of contemplation.

For his exhibition, “Into the Woods”, Melini has created six paintings and twelve collage pieces. Inspired by the history of the lush tree and mushrooms grown in New Jersey Pine Barrens, the collages celebrate the cyclical and symbiotic relationships within the forest. The mushrooms, sourced from a dizzying array of field guides, are personified and presented larger than life. The vibrant and transparent watercolor connects the mushrooms to each other and to the surrounding world.

The colorful abstract paintings are constructed with reclaimed wood sourced from tobacco barns in North Carolina and feature layers of oil on linen and a textured build-up of acrylic stain and sealant. The natural material contrasts with the foraged wood to create two vastly different ways of interpreting visual spaces, one natural and one assembled. This theatrical juxtaposition further captures the viewer’s attention, establishing a portal to another world. Together, the paintings and the mushroom collages create one harmonious, natural biosphere.

The artist
Douglas Melini (b. 1972, American) received his BA from the University of Maryland in 1994 and his MFA from California Institute of the Arts in 1997. Melini has exhibited nationally and internationally, including solo exhibitions at Schneider Museum of Art, Ashland, Oregon (2018); 11R Gallery, New York, New York (2017); Feature Inc., NY, NY (2009-2014); Minus Space, Brooklyn, New York (2009); Ursula Werz, Tubingen, Germany (2005); Rocket Gallery, London, United Kingdom (2004, 1999); and Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica, California (1998); among others. In 2008, Melini was awarded a Painting Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. Melini’s work has been reviewed and featured in The New York Times, Hyperallergic, Time Out New York, and Artcritical, and is included in private and public collections worldwide. He is represented by Van Doren Waxter, NY, NY and SOCO Gallery, Charlotte, NC. The artist currently lives and works in New Jersey.










Today's News

March 14, 2020

Exhibition at Tate Modern provides a new lens through which to view Andy Warhol

France's Louvre and Palace of Versailles shut by coronavirus

Coronavirus shuts down museums, sites in Greece

Rijksmuseum purchases two Asian scroll paintings at the European Fine Art Fair

Sotheby's Photographs Auction to feature rare Moholy-Nagy, Roger Fenton, Cindy Sherman & more

Almine Rech opens the first solo exhibition of Allen Jones with the gallery

Exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of William N. Copley's painting during three pivotal decades

12-year-old bookworm launches favela library in Brazil

Family archives lead Printed & Manuscript African Americana sale at Swann Galleries

The 22nd Biennale of Sydney: Nirin presents 101 artists, 700 works and 600 events over 87 days

The unparalleled record-breaking Polish auction market

Keith Olsen, rock hitmaker with a broad résumé, dies at 74

The oldest Macallan and Karuizawa ever bottled, and legendary Bordeaux, lead Sotheby's Wines & Spirits sales

National Gallery of Victoria launches publication with 34 perspectives on works in the NGV collection

Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art opens a solo exhibition by Otobong Nkanga

March in Montana auction presents fine western art

SOCO Gallery presents "Into the Woods", an exhibition of new works by artist Douglas Melini

It's Angélique Kidjo's birthday, and her country's too

Innovative and diverse use of colour exhibition opens at Design Museum Gent

New fashion exhibition explores the history of India's enduring influence on Western Fashion

Morphy's to auction "ultimate collection" of coin-op mechanical music machines

Hirschl & Adler Modern opens "Every Lie to Truth"

Norval Foundation brings rising Venice Biennale star Michael Armitage to South Africa

How to Buy Preschool Toys

North Carolina State University basketball player lends an arm to ancient statue

The 5 Most Beautiful Slot Machines of The Last Decade

Macbook 101: A Simple User Guide for Beginners




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful