Starting on February 10, 2012 the mixed media collages of Swedish artist, Mikael Altersten will be on view in The Substance of Abstraction at Agora Gallery, NYC. Opening reception: Thursday evening, February 16, 2012.
About the Artist
With a sultry and sharp-edged sense of aesthetics, Mikael Altersten creates a vividly contemporary dialog in paint. Smoldering male and female figures hint at an inner passion hidden beneath the surface, partially obscured behind a thick, carefully constructed haze of pigment. Working in acrylic and collage on canvas with a square format, Altersten’s creations are bold and graphically arresting, combining sensually posed figures, enigmatic text, and color saturated grids and forms. The artist strives to keep his works creatively his own, and so his collaged photos are taken only by himself or specially commissioned to be shot by other professional photographers. As he passionately searches for the soul of art, Altersten concentrates on creating works which bridge cultural boundaries while remaining true to his own personal visual language of spiritual and sensual mystique.
A former apprentice of Swedish artist Hans-Göran Eriksson, Mikael Altersten currently lives in Stockholm, Sweden. He exhibits widely throughout Europe and now in the United States.
Exhibition Dates: February 10, 2012 – March 1, 2012
Reception: Thursday, February 16, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, New York City
Gallery Hours: Tues – Sat, 11a.m. - 6 p.m.
About the Exhibition:
Infuse the short winter days with energy and warmth by visiting the exhibitions at Agora Gallery this February. The Substance of Abstraction explores the variety and mystery of the world, diving into the essence of form and shape that make up our lived experience of reality. Intriguing, intelligent and full of fascinating detail and insight, these works provide a memorable occasion. The artists in Sensorial Perspectives express their interest and joy in the things they perceive, bringing to their art both their considerable artistic skills and their acute observational abilities in a combination that achieves dazzling results. Elemental Realms is characterized by a vibrant passion which enlivens and inspires those who come into contact with it. Lively and enthralling, these works provide a treat for those who are sensitive to atmosphere and the enormous potential of color.
Featured Artists:
The Substance of Abstraction
Lauren Abshire | Mikael Altersten | Carlos Luis Benavente | Angela Cibos-Reisinger | Jennifer Epprecht | HERMINE | David Jay Juter | Olivia Kapoor | Maryline Lemaitre | Jennifer Pinder | Micheline Raymond | Janice Sobel | Sieglinde Wagner
Sensorial Perspectives
Aurora Ave | LuisaElena Betancourt | Larry Frank | Rachel Hamburger | Nada Herman | Martin Machacek | Jose Ma Martinez | Tammy Phillips |
Rusiko Plaksina | Alessandro Tamponi
Elemental Realms
Patricia Armour | Midori Furuhashi | Ucki Kossdorff | Armande Lebeau |
Kaileigh Osarczuk | Agnès CH Peeters | Juan Jose Prada | Eleni Tsotsorou |
Guido Villa
Interviews with the artists and high resolution images are available upon request.
About Agora Gallery
Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery, established in 1984 and located in the heart of New York City’s Chelsea art galleries district. It is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. Gallery II, an elegant adjacent gallery space, gives artists the ideal area for a solo or group exhibition of their own, organized and publicized by Agora Gallery. The gallery also publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of international talented artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews. Agora Gallery is also the sponsor of ARTmine, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art. The gallery also runs Agora Art Blog, a blog designed to provide helpful information and advice for artists while providing a forum for artists to help one another by sharing their experiences and thoughts.
