EXHIBITION ESSAY

The Richness of Color
By Kene JR Rosa

Barry Markowitz is a multi-discipline artist, performer, educator and author. His works are in major collections and museums, and he has taught and performed at many diverse venues.

The works presented here are a series of painted and collaged pieces on velvet paper.

Markowitz uses diverse materials to create his works even going as far as using household bleach! The results are a collection of engaging and colorful abstractions that challenge the mind to interpret the visuals.

Some pieces seem to be three dimensional like a Necker cube but are just created to look so. There is a ten-year span between some of the works, and one can see in the earlier pieces the direction that led to the more contemporary ones. The richness of the color combined with the soft, tactile texture of the paper beckons one to touch the works.

These are truly spectacular examples of the creativity of this artist whose works presage the future of visual art. The works have a life of their own and they challenge the view to dig deeper into their collective minds to see the myriad permutation of the shapes and the juxtaposition of the pallet.