Robert Lange Studios upcoming exhibit, The Soft Embrace of a Porcelain Night, features the work of contemporary painter Nathan Durfee. The Soft Embrace of a Porcelain Night is a striking body of narrative paintings and one very large suggestive dreamscape. Durfee will be at the October 1 event from 5:00 – 8:00 and the work will hang until October 28 at the 2 Queen Street location.
Nicks Slow Morning by Nathan Durfee
Durfee’s unique style was recently recognized when he received the award for Best Visual Artist in Charleston from the City Paper (2009). Embraced as a favorite by the community, Durfee’s presence in the Charleston art scene has grown since being picked up by Robert Lange Studios in 2007. The charismatic painter was the featured Piccolo Spoleto Jazz Series artist and recently on the cover of Charleston Art Magazine. His latest group of paintings created a stir when the seven-panel dreamscape was unveiled at the beginning of August to a select group of collectors.
“As soon as it leaked out that the dreamscape was finished,” said gallery owner Robert Lange, “people were calling wanting to take a look at it.” The piece will be unveiled to the public during the October 1 opening.
In describing the work, Durfee says, “The show is about contrast – dark moments in colorful packages. The title, The Soft Embrace of a Porcelain Night, gives a bit of insight as to what I’ve discovered through painting the
series. In each work, undertones of endearment show through despite the character’s obviously uncomfortable predicaments.”
There is a dark humor in Durfee’s paintings, macabre in their staging yet whimsical in their overall presentation. The artist, born in 1983, studied traditional portrait painting and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design. As his current work intrepidly exhibits, Durfee decided to take his art in a different, less traditional direction. “I’m transfixed by the idea of creating worlds we can only dream of. I thought I would be a traditional, realistic painter when I first went to art school…but I quickly discovered that if I’m able to create a reality, why do I need to adhere to the one we live in now?” Durfee said. This ability to create both conventional and alternative realities allowed him to push and pull his work from the realistic to the abstract with imaginative skill, gaining attention amongst his peers in the art community.
“I was amazed when I saw one of Nathan’s traditional works,” said gallery owner Robert Lange. “The idea that Nathan made a choice and was never hindered by his ability to render gives an added level of understanding to his
work.”
The Dreamscape by Nathan Durfee
The seven panel panorama, ‘The Dreamscape’ 114” x 36” oil on canvas, depicts moments found in the imagination, yet is still referencing the artist’s reality. ‘The Dreamscape’ is anchored by a decapitated self-portrait of Durfee as Frieda Kahlo holding an ego driven #1 foam finger. Yet another panel depicts Chicago artist Nick Cave’s costume/sculptures, consisting of brightly colored fabrics and elaborate embroidery. Durfee consistently intrigues the viewer; leaving them searching within the narrative for more hidden clues while illustrating his insecurity with his own skill.
In the painting “Michael Tries to Fly in Style,” Durfee makes reference to the De Stijl art movement. A giant pink elephant adorned with a set of wings designed by the likes
of Mondrian and Rietveld, sits precariously on the edge of a cliff reading the wing’s instructions. The overtly cheerful, yet in some regards somber painting challenges the viewer to question whether the subject is ready to fly: is he satisfied with what De Stijl has created for him? In this piece, the elephant, which embodies both Durfee and the art movement’s spirit, must take the leap. In many of Durfee’s paintings, the characters are at the mercy of their created situations.
“Many of the works hold a tinge of sweet melancholy. The characters long for something, caught in their own internal conflict of love or growth,” said Durfee. “This is set against beautiful backdrops, which remind the viewer that despite the small trials, they live in a wondrous world.” The mood of each piece is affected by both the different color tones the artist chooses as well as the subjects’ varied gestures. While a narrative is suggested in all of these works, it is left to the viewer to ultimately complete each story.
“The show brings out life’s soft moments of happiness, sadness, and sometimes the darkness that lies below the surface, embracing the full spectrum of emotion,” said Durfee.
Digital images are available upon request. Contact Megan Lange at (843) 805-8052 or info@robertlangestudios.com.
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Please join Carolina Galleries for the first French Quarter Gallery Association Art Walk of the year on October 1, 2010. Johnson Hagood, artist and owner of Carolina Galleries will unveil his show Preview, a sneak peek at work that is being created for his 2011 show at the Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA) in Greenville, SC. The opening of Preview will be on Friday, October 1, 2010 from 5 – 8 pm at Carolina Galleries, located at 106 A Church Street in downtown Charleston. The artist will be present for this reception, which is free and all are invited.
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