Ed B by Lew Lautin

By: Chris Brunner:

The Coral Springs Museum of Art continues its exploration of contemporary art with a winter exhibition featuring abstract oil paintings by Russian artist Sergey Fedotov, text-based “Venetian fresco” pieces by Kirsten Bowen, and photography by Lew Lautin.

Moscow-born self-taught artist Fedotov began a career as a physicist before picking up a paintbrush and painting works that would eventually be exhibited around the world. Fedotov’s contemporary abstract objectless art caught the eye of art critic Bruce Helander, a former White House Fellow of the National Endowment of the Arts, at SeaFair in 2012. Helander will curate Fedotov’s exhibit at Coral Springs Museum of Art.

“Fedotov mixes together a tossed salad of abstract narrative imagery, traditional color field painting and aggressive textural surfaces, along with a natural, almost primitive force that clearly balances the old and new, sophistication with naivety, while celebrating connections over and over again to a wide variety of pioneer artists,” describes Helander.

Fedotov will host a demonstration of his expressionist painting technique on Friday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. All are welcome to attend this free event.

Bowen debuts her first museum exhibit at Coral Springs Museum of Art with the exhibit Because I Said So. A former textile designer and gallerist, Bowen developed a style she describes as “Venetian Fresco,” in which she prepares the canvas with an underpainting of colored plaster and then scores in a design or text. Themes include abstract landscapes and the human figure. The highlight of the exhibit will be a four-panel piece measuring more than 34 feet titled “Believe In Yourself.” The inspirational piece features Bowen’s distinct Venetian Fresco technique and the lyrics from four different songs from musicians Parlor Mob, Sarah Mann, Eric Morelli and Lenny Kravitz.

“The purpose of my life is to set an example for young artists wrestling with self-doubt,” says Bowen. “I am personally intrigued by the idea that beliefs and opinions are formed by what others say, and therefore named the exhibition Because I Said So. Recently I had an advertisement in ARTnews of my work containing a fake review from a famous dead critic – this was a commentary on what creates value in an artist’s work – “Because a critic said so.”

Coral Springs Museum of Art faculty member Lew Lautin showcases his photography with “The Magic Behind the Image.” A former real estate developer, Lautin is inspired by sensitive environmental and socio-economical issues. In 1975, Lautin began shooting homeless people. Thousands of images and decades later, Lautin’s works have been featured in galleries around the country.

“My goal is to transport the instant of an image within my mind’s eye into a physical object – allowing other to experience that same precise moment of my own inspiration,” explains Lautin. “From the inexplicable beauty of our natural world to the inexplicable emotion of our human journey, our visual experience is sensory magic. To capture a piece of magic is to be an artist.”

Dates to Remember:

Don’t miss the Artist Reception: Dec. 11, 6–8 p.m. Members complimentary, “Future” Members $10

Fedotov Painting Demonstration: Dec. 12, 3 p.m. Complimentary admission, please RSVP by calling 954-340-5000.

Fedotov Exhibit: Dec. 6, 2014 – Feb. 21, 2015
Bowen Exhibit: Dec. 6 – Dec. 27, 2014

Lautin Exhibit: Dec. 6, 2014 – Feb. 21, 2015
Museum Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Coral Springs Museum of Art
2855 Coral Springs Drive
Coral Springs, FL 33065

Cost:
Museum members can view the exhibits for free.

“Future” member prices are $6 adults, $5 seniors, $3 students with school ID, and free for children 5 and under. The first Wednesday of every month is free.

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.