MELODIE PROVENZANO

May 14 – June 27, 2015

nancy margolis gallery

MELODIE PROVENZANO STEALH PEACE

May 14 - June 27, 2015

Nancy Margolis Gallery is pleased to present Melodie Provenzano's first solo exhibition with the gallery titled "Stealth

Peace" opening Thursday, May 14, 6-8pm, and on view through June 27, 2015. Provenzano will show a new series of highly

detailed paintings of single objects and still lifes.

“Over the years I have collected hundreds of objects. I have containers stacked to

the ceiling in my studio filled with toys, glassware, figurines, bows and other

various things. It’s a well of inspiration that I rely upon when composing the still

lifes that I draw and paint from direct observation. The artworks are like a catalog

of dreams with layers of meaning open to interpretation. One may find

impressions, reflections and sensations as various as the objects in them. The

meanings are revealed through visual metaphors of the experiences that we share

as human beings, dependent as much upon where the viewer is coming from as

where I have been.” - Melodie Provenzano

Melodie Provenzano’s work is much more than still life painting. Each piece is painted with the utmost detail. Her

compositions are filled with a diverse array of nostalgic, common objects that together suggest endless interpretation.

Provenzano works on one painting at a time, making it her world until its completion. She begins by assembling the objects

on a tabletop. Her skill in composing elaborate arrangements comes from her ten year background as a window dresser

for Saks Fifth Avenue. The objects in each of the still life arrangements are chosen deliberately, based on the level of

emotional reaction and meaning Provenzano gleans from them. Setting them up is like playing, arranging, rearranging,

studying how they look until she arrives at a composition she likes. Melodie says, “This part of the process is quite fun. I

respond to the visual and emotional stimulation of how objects relate, reflect light, cast shadows and inhabit space.” Once

she is satisfied with the placement of the objects, she begins to draw, and paint the composition from life.

Paintings such as “Heaven” and “Hell” have a specific theme in contrast to “Champbaby!” a straightforward, playful spin

on the common found object - a full champagne glass spilling out miniature toy baby figurines.

In addition to the still life compositions Provenzano paints singular objects, notably,

the two largest paintings in the exhibition, “Color Bow” and “Reign Bow” each 54” x

72”. Enlarged way beyond their normal size these otherwise mundane objects are

imbued with a gorgeous powerful presence.

Two large installations are included in the exhibition, the largest, 19 small paintings,

spanning over 22 feet in width on multiple custom shaped canvases. Within the

installation are many paintings of single objects, such as a set of Russian nesting

dolls, ceramic figurines, and graphic shapes that link the painting into a pattern

suggesting a woven basket.

Nostalgia, memory, loss, a bygone era, these are the underlying themes Provenzano stirs. Bringing together her passion

for collecting found objects, eventually the subject of her paintings, we see this melding into her art practice alongside a

thoughtful searching with-in.

MELODIE PROVENZANO lives and works in New York City. Provenzano graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1996.

After receiving her BFA, she freelanced for more than a decade dressing storefront windows and showroom displays for

Saks 5th Avenue, Donna Karan, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo and Hermes. At this time, she sharpened her drawing and

painting skills while developing her art. Melodie has exhibited in group shows such as "Still Life", Nancy Margolis Gallery,

NYC, "Playing Around", The Brattleboro Museum, VT, "Champagne & Baloney", Jeff Bailey Gallery, NYC, "Singles", Geoffrey

Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA and solo shows Lyons Wier Gallery, NYC, Goya Contemporary, Baltimore, MD and

Carrie Secrist Gallery, Chicago, IL.

Reign Bow, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 72”

Color Bow, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 72”

Earth, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36”

Hell, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48”

Heaven, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36”

One Basket, 2015, Acrylic and glitter on canvas, 7 x 22.5 feet

Two As One Wedding Kiss, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 13 x 15”

One World Soccer Ball, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 13 x 15”

Plan A, 2015, Acrylic and glitter on canvas, 7 x 7.5 feet

Blue Star on Blue, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 14”

Champbaby!, 2013, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 14”

Red Bow on Blue, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10”

Two as One Kissing Dutch, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 14”

nancy margolis gallery

Catalog © 2014 NANCY MARGOLIS GALLERY Courtesy of Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York and

Melodie Provenzano © Melodie Provenzano Photography © Melodie Provenzano

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