A group show of talented international artists:Prelude will be on in NY ARTS Beijing

The concept of Prelude revolves around the intriguing idea of humanity and nature, as explored through a number of interpretations. It includes the notion of a dichotomy between civilization and the natural world and holds out the possibility of overcoming it. It also involves the tricky concept of ‘human nature’ that has divided philosophers for centuries.

Contemporary art is witnessing a growing tendency to seek out new forms of spirituality in art. Reconstructive post-modernism regards interconnectedness, social responsibility and ecological attunement as the crucial issues for human creativity. It calls for a re-enchantment of the human soul. Reflecting such sentiments, the works in Prelude act as both prologue and epilogue. The work is about an awareness of how fragile the balance of nature is, how precious life is, and how much it all depends on us.

April Bending’s trajectory evolves around her wild imagination, through which remarkable images of a surreal world begin to appear. Working with what is in essence a very restricted technique—acrylic painting with limited color—Bendings has deployed her work into an oeuvre of astounding depth. Both ARVEE and Erica Ronnback's art explores intense symbolist imagery that results in dream-like narratives and emblematic characters on canvas.

The poetic works of Hans Johansson and cosmic works of Monika Wally offer a rush of color and texture to the exhibition. Both artists’ paintings fluctuate between the visible and the hidden, between clear and obscured forms, the struggle between memory and oblivion are unifying ideas that are evident within the artists’ work. Ideas of poetry and narrative continue in the work of Kurt Rostek. With references as diverse as traditional primitive art, images from popular culture, and spiritual iconography, Rostek’s intricately layered works contemplate the contemporary existence.

Georgeta Stefanescu’s art combines and contrast drips and efflorescent flows of startling, sometimes offbeat, mannerist color. Peggy Zehring work uses a similar pallet of burgundy, damask yellow, vermilion, rose, and mint green in her highly stylized work.

In a similar vein to ARVEE, Eugénie Dammer’s work consists of vast and exuberant panel paintings that blur the line between painting and drawing, with a strong emphasis on sensation and sensibility, combining elements of gestural abstraction, drawing, and writing in a highly idiosyncratic and potent expression. Helen Joynson’s intuitive works investigate the emotive effects color. By painting large canvases with delicate mists of brightly hued colors, Joynson articulates something deeper about the materiality of paint. The results are an example of spatial flow, giving the work a sense of continuation beyond the parameters of painting itself.

Ria Bisseling adds a sculptural element to the exhibition with her at once epic and intimate work. The figurative work of both Bisseling and Herwig Maria Stark reference poetry, mythology, and history.

The sphere of each artist’s creativity bounces between aesthetics of Abstraction and Figuration. These artists do not depend on traditional themes and technique; they are each on a journey-—where the relationship between color, composition and subject are connected with their own vital aesthetic views.

Prelude is one of many cultural events that will take place in the summer of 2008 that seek to further an East-West exchange and dialogue. Each international artist in Prelude shares NY ARTS Beijing’s objective of solidifying the relationship between Eastern and Western artists and strengthening the identity of contemporary art in Asia.