Gudrun Mertes-Frady
I'm Here to Play, 2009
Digital ink print on cream Stonehenge paper
with hand additions in one or more of the following:
watercolor, metallic pigments, ink, pastel, mylar, paper collage.
22 x 30 inches
Edition of 15 unique, signed works
$600 (Price includes packing and shipping within the United States.)
Best Witchcraft is Geometry
To the magician's mind —
His ordinary acts are feats
To thinking of mankind.
— Emily Dickinson
Artist Statement: As a timeless organizing principle, geometry is the underlying matrix or architecture of all my work. I am drawn to its symmetry and quasi-symmetry and the limitless potential to create my own world.
My work is about clarity and structure, pared down to essential forms. Recently, I've used metallic pigments like aluminum and graphite, as well as mica particles in my colors to affect a kinetic, multi-dimensional quality of illusory motion depending on the angle from which the work is seen.
As a painter who normally works on canvas, this is my first venture into making prints. Because the edition is small and each piece could be created in a wide variety of ways, it suits my restless nature. My ideas can jump around freely from piece to piece in my visual exploration.
For the underlying image, I selected one of my drawings, which was reproduced on Stonehenge watercolor paper. This became my field of operation — now the game could begin. My aim was to energize space in a different way in each piece. Most of all, I was going for pleasure here. I wanted the surface to be seductive with velvety, matte colors and metallic and reflective pigments, all hand-painted. On one I added a painted overlay of mylar, on another an ink drawing on Asian paper and on another, I collaged in a print of my camera drawings. It seemed that I was telling a story in these 15 pieces — each a chapter — each of different character and feeling.
Gudrun Mertes-Frady was born in Cologne, Germany. She now lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been widely exhibited in the United States and Europe. Her paintings and drawings are included in the collection of The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, The Busch Reisinger Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, among other private and public collections.
Mertes-Frady is represented by CYNTHIA-REEVES in New York City.
More information about the artist:
Cynthia Reeves Gallery
Art News
GeoForm