At first glance, the paintings of Marcella Lassen may appear photorealistic. As one looks closer, however, Lassen's more unique style reveals itself in the way she collages people and objects together in one composition, without concern for scale or setting, giving each piece a sense of the surreal. Lassen utilizes this strategy in order to hold up a mirror to society and investigate cultural icons, from celebrities to everyday objects weighted with meaning. She never paints full-faced figures, instead preferring to portray people from the cheekbones down, in order to focus on the body language of each figure and what they might be expressing subconsciously.
Born in the United States, Lassen currently lives in St. Gallen, Switzerland. She says her exposure to the great art collections of Europe has greatly influenced her work. Although Lassen’s work is brightly contemporary, her technique is derived from the Old Masters of Western art. Working with oil paints, she painstakingly applies layer upon layer of glazes to blocked out base colors and mixes her own pigments. Color is exceedingly important to Lassen, and she believes it is part of her signature style.
Featured artists:
Mélange of Milieu
Martin Grace | Loukas S. Tsevdos | Marcella Lassen | Edward Bahoric | Tom Notman | Lisa Froment | Paul Juniper | Lucy O'Donovan |
About the Exhibition
The Beauty of the Everyday: The Mélange of Milieu at Agora Gallery
The devil is in the details in the March exhibition Mélange of Milieu at Agora Gallery. Whether focusing on rendering the tiny elements in a painting, or paying homage to the quiet moments that make up daily life, each artist brings a special focus to a part of our world in this exhibition. Returning the focus to the beauty of the everyday, the artists of Mélange of Milieu bring new dynamics to realism. With vibrant colors and penetrating compositions, this collection of works will help any viewer to see the world around them in new and exciting ways.
About Agora Gallery
Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Chelsea’s fine art district in New York. Established in 1984, Agora Gallery specializes in connecting art dealers and collectors with national and international artists. The art gallery’s expert consultants are available to assist corporate and private clients in procuring original artwork to meet their organization’s specific needs and budget requirements. With a strong online presence and popular online gallery, ARTmine, coupled with the spacious and elegant physical gallery space, the work of our talented artists, who work in diverse media and styles, can receive the attention it deserves. Over the years Agora Gallery has sponsored and catered to special events aimed at fostering social awareness and promoting the use of art to help those in need.
