Artist: Paul Metrinko
Exhibition title: Big Sur
Venue: Deli Gallery, New York, US
Date: January 19 – February 5, 2017
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Deli Gallery, New York
Deli Gallery is pleased to announce its next one person exhibition Big Sur with works by Paul Metrinko. Containing twelve new paintings completed this year and never before shown, the exhibition will be the artist’s first in New York and with Deli Gallery.
Trained in the traditional plein aire painting style, Metrinko’s practice begins with observation of actual visual conditions. Throughout his practice, the artist has captured New York’s urban and beach scenes- rendering public spaces into private, magical moments. In Big Sur, Metrinko has made a bold departure both in style and subject matter from previous series after a recent trip through Central California’s coast.
Metrinko presents a playful and saturated array of paintings stemming from views along the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. Although the titles reference specific places or plants, the artist works from memory and allows the subjects to take on a life of their own. Working through several sizes and styles, Metrinko creates various oppositions and pairings through similar subject matters. A tree in the large-scale work Julia is depicted a washed out orange, taking up most of the canvas. While the same tree in Pfeiffer Palm is shown as dark and saturated occupying on a narrow portion of the small canvas.
Known for their breathtaking views and rich sunsets, Big Sur’s vistas act as a starting point for the artist. He manipulates the painting’s hues and saturation into the sensation of looking in the moment rather than a factual representation. Also through this process, Metrinko renders the geometric shapes into flattened planes allowing the forms to overlap and abut directly.
Paul Metrinko (b. 1986) received his BFA from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 2011. He has exhibited nationally and internationally including a recent solo exhibition at CSA Space in Vancouver. Metrinko has also exhibited at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, Kunstraum LLC, FOUR A.M., and Gallery Sensei. He lives and works in New York City
Paul Metrinko, Point Lobos, 2017, Oil on linen, 44 x 38”
Paul Metrinko, Molera, 2017, Oil on linen, 15 x 12”
Paul Metrinko, Bixby, 2017, Oil on linen, 46 x 50”
Paul Metrinko, Pfeiffer Palm, 2017, Oil on linen, 15 x 12”
Paul Metrinko, Julia, 2017, Oil on linen, 50 x 58”
Paul Metrinko, PCH, 2017, Oil on linen, 15 x 12”
Paul Metrinko, Nepenthe, 2017, Oil on linen, 15 x 12”
Paul Metrinko, Gorda, 2017, Oil on linen, 16 x 17”
Paul Metrinko, Point Sur, 2017, Oil on linen, 46 x 38”
Paul Metrinko, Ventana, 2017, Oil on linen, 15 x 12”
Paul Metrinko, Cabrillo, 2017, Oil on linen, 16 x 17”
Paul Metrinko, Esalen, 2017, Oil on linen, 46 x 38”
