Opening on December 5, Still + Life showcases the oil paintings of artist and gallery owner Robert Lange, in his continued investigation into still life paintings. On view through Dec. 20, the exhibit is also a celebration of Lange’s acceptance as the 2008 American Heart Association’s featured artist. A festive reception open to the public will be held on Dec. 5 starting at 5:00 p.m. featuring wine, hors d’oeuvres, and music, at the gallery in the historic French Quarter district of downtown Charleston.
The fifteen still life paintings in the exhibition are all focused on the interplay of light: reflections, shadows, and the varying qualities of a range of light sources. What sets each piece apart from traditional still lives is the addition of at least one non-still element. Works such as “Special Guest,” which features a small humming bird flying within a huge still life, was created with surprisingly realistic renderings of various objects and the small bird, which was painted with playful precision.
“I always look at still lives and feel they lack the tension that is achieved in figurative or narrative work,” says Lange. “For this show I was interested in creating just a bit of movement, although ever so slight, in each of these paintings. This is in order to achieve the feeling you get when watching a bird on a windowsill or when a butterfly lands on your hand. I like to refer to them as “sshhh, don’t move” moments in which you become still as a product of your situation.”
For this show, at first glance it appears to be a traditional still life show with shiny objects and glass vases. However, as you approach each painting you realize that there is a hint of life in each one, and according to Lange, the viewer is struck by a “don’t move” moment. Each object has been meticulously painted into permanence, including the non-still elements, creating an interesting effect for the viewer in which they need to reevaluated the idea of still life all together.
“I imagine that the objects all have their own histories but it is with the addition of actual life that they become stories,” said Lange. “The part that I am most interested in is how equally quiet the still lives are with or without the element of life.”
At 27-years-old, Lange’s painted world gives context clues into the history and collective memory of his life. A mathematical prodigy at 10-years of age perhaps accounts for his disciplined brushstrokes and the stylized geometric division of space on his canvases.
Lange studied under rigid traditional teachings at Pinkerton Academy, in Derry New Hampshire, yet found himself learning new perspectives at the world renown art college, Rhode Island School of Design. He was awarded a 4-year full merit-based scholarship based upon his outstanding portfolio. Lange spent most of his college career showing in multiple galleries in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine.
In 2004, Lange’s move to the traditionalist community of Charleston, SC heightened his desire to create the picturesque. After less than a year in Charleston, with a barely dry signature on his diploma, he and his wife opened Robert Lange Studios on East Bay Street. The gallery space, like his paintings, is clean, simple, and strangely familiar and inviting.
All are welcome to come see and enjoy the gallery. The Still + Life series will hang at Robert Lange Studios at 151 East Bay St. from Friday, Dec. 5-Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008. The opening reception will be Friday, Dec. 2, from 5:30-8:30 PM in conjunction with the French Quarter’s art walk. Please visit www.robertlangestudios.com or call for more information 843.805.8052. Digital images are available upon request.
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Long time Margaret Petterson collectors, Gene and Lea Glowney of Augusta, Georgia recently donated one of their many Petterson paintings ‘Down the Way’ to the permanent collection of the famous Morris Museum of Art. The Morris Museum of Art is the first museum dedicated solely to the art and artists of the American South. On September 26, 1992, the Morris Museum opened its doors to the public and attracted more than ten thousand visitors in its first three months of operation. This museum also houses the Center for the Study of Southern Art, an important reference resource. Petterson’s work fits perfectly, as she is best known for capturing Lowcountry scenes in a uniquely colorful way. ‘Down the Way’ depicts a light filled country road framed by beautiful oak trees using vivid and eye catching colors.
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