Artists "Review" Artists: TJ Norris on Giovanni Garcia-Fenech

The Artists "Review" Artists Project was launched on June 30, 2008.  Below is a "review" of Giovanni Garcia-Fenech's work, White on Black, written by TJ Norris.  Giovanni provided the second jpeg, an image of 10.28.07, as well as a brief response to TJ's "review."

Giovanni currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, and TJ lives in Portland, OR.

If you would like to participate in this project, please email me at jtkirkland [at] gmail [dot] com.

White On Black
Acrylic on canvas
34" x 34"
2007

The "Review"

With immediate reductive connotations White on Black reverses the use of the void of painterly space simply by flipping the norm of the white ground for black. In doing so what appears is mazelike, perhaps a visual pun, puzzle or board game, without tokens or other immediate functions. The piece retains the essence of a still life of sorts – yet with a somewhat intensive vibratory quality. This highly graphic, almost tribal nature of its surface activates the flat plane. Definite black lines and angles, all off-center, are repeated from each side of the canvas, creating an almost die cut variation of a flag in repetition also akin to highly stylized wings of a feathered friend or two. The jazzy, rhythmic lines move throughout the square that contains them. What may be a bit more conceptual is the construct, which could be viewed as either an aerial view of Silicon Valley or the tiny microchips made inside the many labs in residence there. In the end we are left pondering optical space, not as illusion, but in the contrast of pure design.

By TJ Norris

10.28.07
Pencil on paper
12” x 12”
2007

The Response

I’m pleased with the reviewer’s response. If there were anything that I would add, it would be that my paintings follow several formal rules in their composition, but I think those would only have been apparent if he/she had had more images to view.

By Giovanni Garcia-Fenech

Previous "Reviews":
Pam Farrell on Ken Weathersby
Paula McCullough on Aric Calfee
Lee Gainer on Leigh Waldron-Taylor
Aric Calfee on Paula McCullough
Matthew Ballou on Heather Levy
Giovanni Garcia-Fenech on TJ Norris

Comments

[c.p.]

I've seen Giovanni's work somewhere, and can't recall where. It's very powerful in its simplicity. A good micro review, too, by TJ Norris whose work I've just been introduced to. You do get a bit of an insight. And there is an appreciating respect for those who have decided to do this for their love, and or job--no easy thing.
I've bookmarked both artists.