April 5 - 26, 2018

The World Is Not Flat: Mitchell Lewis and Bernice Sokol Kramer
New Reflections On 14th Street: Sheila Schwid
On the Wall: Harriet Livathinos

Bernice Sokol Kramer

In the exhibition The World Is Not Flat Bernice Sokol Kramer presents sculptures based on the human figure using fabric and papier-mâché that hang from the ceiling and walls or rest on the floor. Her background in Biology and a childhood fascination with marionettes informs and inspires these works. Sokol Kramer explains, "In order to alter the expected human form, I perform surgery - cutting and sewing limbs, reattaching/relocating them. The marriage of human and animal traits, my “genetic mischief,” guides the process.” 

Mitchell Lewis

In his fifth exhibition with Carter Burden Gallery, Mitchell Lewis presents a new series of mixed media paintings with origins steeped in biblical stories and historical allegories, in the exhibition The World Is Not Flat. With a focus on motifs and shapes that play a part in his personal and artistic history, Lewis explores human sensuality and the relationship between men, women and the environment. In a departure from the hieroglyphic quality of his last series, Lewis depicts flat fields of color alongside painterly brush strokes and a diverse palette that abstractly indicates landscapes. Lewis’ enjoyment of art and its making is evident in the self-described “fun” quality of his paintings.

Harriet Livathinos

Utilizing graphite and ink on Mylar, Harriet Livathinos creates an installation entitled The Sky is Falling for the exhibition On the Wall. Livathinos explores air, density, and depth with mark making; keeping in mind how various line weights, hues, transparent overlays and interlacing of shapes can transmit feeling and raw energy to make an expressive composition. The atmospheric quality of her work is amplified and informed by the use of ink on a translucent field. The medium flows, fluctuates in opacity, and provides an intuitive vocabulary rich in emotional and dramatic potential for speaking from the subconscious. Livathinos states,” Abstraction is my way of dealing with these turbulent times, and the theme running through my mind as I think about this project is The Sky is Falling”.

Sheila Schwid

Sheila Schwid presents a continuation of the series Reflections On 14th Street, with oil paintings based upon observation, reaction, and interpretation of street scenes through the lens of reflection. These works bridge the divide between realism and abstraction. Her approach gives the viewer enough visual cues to decipher the scene while using the reflections to disjoint the image, creating a wonderful tension that is at once familiar and foreign. “There I was on the bus on 14th Street, looking out the window.  The people were in a hurry, the signs on the buildings were everywhere, the window displays were bright and the people, both old and young, were walking ... When I got home and looked at the pictures and reflections of light, I realized this craziness could be a metaphor for the consciousness of the people.”

Installation Views