FHG artists employ the historically iconic image of the nude figure as a point of reference for exploration of the body and world.
Fountain House Gallery, representing artists living with mental illness, is proud to present its upcoming group exhibition, "The Nude as Landscape." The show will open with a Reception on March 24, 2022, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and will remain on view through May 25, 2022.
Jurors who selected works for the presentation are: Sarah Faux, Artist; Elyse Goldberg, Art Advisor, Commissions & Projects, Independent Curator; and Casey Lesser, Associate Director of Content at Artsy, the world’s leading online art marketplace. The exhibition theme was conceived by Fountain House Gallery artist Boo Lynn Walsh.
"The Nude as Landscape is Fountain House Gallery's first-ever juried exhibition," said Gallery Director Rachel Weisman. "For this show, our artists were asked to employ the historically iconic – and fundamental – image of the nude human figure as a point of reference for exploration of the body as it relates to the wider world, including elements of nature: in what manner do flesh and muscle evoke or co-exist with manifestations such as rivers, clouds, trees, hills and valleys? Some works in the show set the body in an actual 'landscape,' while others are less literal. Also in the mix are pieces depicting objects that call forth various parts of the human body. Fountain House members have often been told by society how to view their own bodies, how to medicate, and how (and if) they are allowed to explore sensuality. The Nude as Landscape addresses some of these themes directly and in so doing reclaims these member-artists’ place in relationship to humanity at large.”
Among the artworks showcased in the exhibition are DubbleX’s paper collage and marker piece Poses of the Nude, which presents multiple images of the female figure juxtaposed with labels from his own prescription medications, and Roger Jones’s Untitled, in which the artist has superimposed one of his signature marker and pen images of human faces on a found object from a local gay bar. In Nude Dude (Series #3), Anthony Newton steps out from his recent work of tightly cropped faces and utilizes the entire figure, with the torso twisting in a manner reminiscent of a mountain range. Discarded, a digital photograph by Sally Fisher, presents a thoughtfully composed image of a castoff mannequin that translates to a broader societal metaphor.
This program is funded, in part, by generous support from the Renate, Hans and Maria Hofmann Trust, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the David Rockefeller Fund, and the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.