‘Windows of Self’ paintings by Ari Lankin

11 Oct
2011

By Elke Reva Sudin

The ‘Tree of Life’ is a symbol from Jewish tradition often used to interpret disparate aspects of an entity (as expressed in roots and branches) that connect back to a singular source. Painter Ari Lankin takes this idea and brings it into his work utilizing bright colors, expressive marks, in an optimistic and abstract vocabulary, expressing complex notions of unity in our perceived reality as a form of universal spirituality of mankind.

Ari Lankin, Tree of Life, 2010. Oil on canvas, 60 x 60 in.

For one month, the RL Fine Arts Gallery in Manhattan will be exhibiting Lankin’s new series ‘Windows of Self’ based on the concept that everything is connected.

From the press release:

Exploiting the natural physicality of painting, with its perpetual erosion and malleability, Lankin is interested in how our environment is ultimately a subjective experience open to personal interpretation. The plastic, the ephemeral, and everything in between are intertwined in his work. Memory and active perception are in flux as first impressions dissolve and new revelations emerge. Lankin creates energetic images where the viewer is free to assign meaning and revel in sensation. The public and personal is ambiguously intermingled. His paintings are windows of self-reflection and residue of performance.

Lankin believes there is a “holiness in everywhere and in everything, therefore connecting us to everything and everyone.” Drawing from his Jewish upbringing where morals, sense of self,  and the value of doing good where deeply rooted, Lankin explores an optimistic approach to the relative experience. “My abstract work is inspired by love, growth, and optimism.  I would not have the same outlook on life if I didnt have my Jewish identity.”

Lankin considers his work to not be bound by any specific denomination, rather, coming from the human spirit, a quality he feels Judaism embraces and champions.

“I feel like these themes can be tapped into a number of ways, either teachings, or life experiences, especially contemplating what is really important in life, like when you think you may die.”

Ari Lankin received a BFA with High Honors in Painting and Economics from Brandeis University. Known for painting in the studio, on location, and at live events, painting is truly an extension of his lifestyle. Lankin lives in Manhattan where he has had his current studio in East Harlem for the past five years. www.arilankin.com

The exhibition will run from October 12th, to November 12, 2011.

RL Fine Arts
39 West 19 Street Suite 612
(between 5 and 6 avenues)
New York NY 10011
www.rlfinearts.com

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