LUCERNE.- Impulse Gallery will present Transmissions, an exhibition by American artist Ann Tracy. Running 17 October to 21 December 2024, this solo show presents a practice spanning painting, sculpture and mixed media, and reflects Tracy’s evolving exploration of the human figure, as well as her response to social, political and environmental climates.
Tracy’s career began with a focus on figurative abstraction, developed during studies at Boston University where she earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in sculpture. Throughout her career, she has drawn inspiration from artists such as Philip Guston and Piero Della Francesca, whose work has informed her understanding of geometry, atmosphere, and the human condition.
Adrian and the twins
In several works in this exhibition, we see a direct nod to early Renaissance masterpieces, such as Tracy’s large scale, multi-panelled painting Adrienne and the Twins, which recalls Piero Della Francesca’s famous Polyptych of the Misericordia (1460–1462). However, as in all Tracy’s works, she moves beyond time to lay out narratives and imagery that is specific to the fragility of our own times. In Adrienne and the Twins, the Virgin Mary is sitting on a pink 1979 Ford Thunderbird – a now obsolete gas-guzzling vehicle – which appears to be slowly submerging in water. She presents a time of great challenge and change. The old ways are gone.
Ann Tracy’s work beautifully describes the rare times that we are living. In addition to art historical references, her practice is further influenced by her extensive experience in creative community projects, including her work in Miami with people living with AIDS as well as a variety of diverse populations, including homeless and runaway teens and new Haitian immigrants during the 1990s. Her large-scale works highlight the personal and collective experiences of communities, responding to ongoing social struggles. As well as representing women, in Transmissions, Tracy’s subjects include animals, plants, elements, landscapes and even otherworldly forms. She draws them all together in a collective experience of this period of change and imbalance which the artist constantly refers to in her work.
Transmissions also features the installation “They Never Died – Seven Roses,” a collaborative work that integrates the poetry of Amy Hosig and the music of contemporary classical composer Marcelo Toledo, demonstrating Tracy’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and the sharing of artistic experiences through collective expression. Tracy has always maintained a close connection to the artistic and cultural movements of her time, whether through work in New York, her current base in Zurich, or her creative pursuits in Tuscany. Her dedication to art began at a young age, and her life-long commitment has led to a prolific body of work that continues to engage with contemporary social issues while remaining rooted in personal experiences.
Fire Puja, 2023. 183 x 274 cm.
Transmissions highlights Tracy’s continued exploration of how forces and energies interact and evolve. She likens this concept to a car’s transmission, which regulates the power and movement of the engine and extends this meaning to the human as the ultimate vehicle. In a broader sense, she uses the term "transmission" to describe the exchange of knowledge and insight, whether through art, teaching, or other mediums, and emphasizes the importance of this process in her work.
Tracy has been recognized for her ability to merge mysticism with art. As a spiritual teacher and healer, she worked first as a professor of fine art at university level from 1988 to 2004 and later as a teacher of Kundalini Yoga Mediation and a Yoga Therapist, where she supports individuals in addressing complexities in their lives. Tracy’s work is influenced by the philosophical and artistic traditions of figures such as William Blake, Emma Kunz, Rudolf Steiner, and Carl Jung.
Tracy’s creative process is strongly informed by her background as a teacher of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation, where she collaborates with others to explore universal themes within an egalitarian framework. This approach carries over into her studio practice, where she frequently incorporates geometric forms to investigate the flow and transformation of energy.
Ann Tracy’s work has been featured in prominent cultural centres such as Boston, Miami, and New York City. She has received several awards, including the Nan Travel Award, the Blanche E. Coleman Award from the Mellon Foundation, and a fellowship from the Vermont Studio Center. In 2020, Tracy relocated from Brooklyn to Zurich, and she continues her artistic practice both in Switzerland and in Italy.
Impulse Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in the heart of Lucerne, Switzerland. Founded in 2020 by Claudia Limacher and Tim Zhuang, the gallery represents both emerging and established (inter)national artists in its historical modern space.
Impulse Gallery is built on the idea of art as community, as a place for artists to share their work with enthusiasts and art collectors alike. With its curatorial expertise and a diverse range of exhibitions each year, the gallery supports the careers of its artists from all over the world.
Based on the core values of diversity and creativity, Impulse Gallery closely works with its artists and features a multitude of artistic disciplines. The gallery operates on an international level to share the works of its acclaimed artists with both aspiring and seasoned collectors from all walks of life.
Ann Tracy, born in 1964 in Massachusetts, is a visual artist working in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and mixed media installation, as well as video, poetry, and fiction. Since 1988, Tracy’s radiant presence as a university adjunct professor, spiritual teacher, and healer has inspired many people to understand and transform the gray areas in their own lives.
Tracy views herself as part of the school of mystic artists, including William Blake, Hellma Auf Klimt, Emma Kunz, Rudolf Steiner, Carl Jung, and Joseph Beuys. She is formally aligned with artists Philip Guston and Piero Della Francesca, as well as her contemporaries who draw from similar sources. Her interest in the field of experience that illuminates the principle of primal divine energy is a constant force in her work. She works alone in her studio and collaborates with groups, creating forms that address this universal content within a non-hierarchical framework.
Tracy is the recipient of The Nan Travel Award and the Blanche E. Coleman Award through the Mellon Foundation. She was awarded a fellowship to the Vermont Studio Center and was nominated for the Endowed Teaching Chair Award at Broward Community College. Her work has been widely exhibited in Boston, Miami, and New York City. Tracy recently moved from Brooklyn, NY, to Zurich, Switzerland, and also spends time in the woods of Tuscany, Italy, between Siena and Florence.
