Published on 11/28/11 in
Content, On-line Features, Reviews.
Tantalized: 20 Paintings by Andrew Ek and Dana Toft
By Rachel Hewitt
The Vegan Gallery, a homey space on Division, has a busy calendar filled primarily with exhibitions featuring vegan artists, performances, and environmentally themed workshops. For a short few weeks the gallery, mysteriously changed to VG, if in promotional materials only, is showing
Tantalized a group of twenty works by Andrew Ek and Dana Toft.
The atmosphere during the reception (at least at the start, as VG tends to cultivate a house party type of environment) was a bit quieter than that of previous shows I’ve been to at VG, showing the space’s ability and willingness to change it up a bit, and complementing the work, particularly the paintings of Andrew Ek, who in the interest of disclosure is a friend of mine. This full confession does nothing to diminish the fact that Ek’s work is beautiful.
Both Toft and Ek are exhibiting works in this show that haven’t been shown before and possibly won’t be shown again, certainly not together. This is a shame, because each artist’s paintings play off one another’s nicely. Where the lighting in Ek’s portraits creates an air of intimacy and mystery, Toft’s portraits are urban and gritty. This makes perfect sense when displayed alongside his paintings of cityscapes, also on display. Where Ek’s paintings feel as though you’re spying through a keyhole at lovely ladies bathed in warm lamplight, Toft’s canvases make you feel as though you’ve stepped out your door into the frenzy of a bustling metropolis. Both painters employ their considerable technical skill to create atmospheric paintings with completely different moods, which are highlighted well when juxtaposed against one another.
Despite what the promotional info said about this show being a two-day only affair, this work will still be up until the closing reception from 6pm-11pm on Friday, December 2
nd. If you blinked and missed this whole show, you can find the artists’ works at their respective websites.
www.andrewek.com
www.danatoft.com
VG/Vegan Gallery
2153 W. Division St.
Chicago, IL 60622
By Rachel Hewitt
The Vegan Gallery, a homey space on Division, has a busy calendar filled primarily with exhibitions featuring vegan artists, performances, and environmentally themed workshops. For a short few weeks the gallery, mysteriously changed to VG, if in promotional materials only, is showing Tantalized a group of twenty works by Andrew Ek and Dana Toft.
The atmosphere during the reception (at least at the start, as VG tends to cultivate a house party type of environment) was a bit quieter than that of previous shows I’ve been to at VG, showing the space’s ability and willingness to change it up a bit, and complementing the work, particularly the paintings of Andrew Ek, who in the interest of disclosure is a friend of mine. This full confession does nothing to diminish the fact that Ek’s work is beautiful.
Both Toft and Ek are exhibiting works in this show that haven’t been shown before and possibly won’t be shown again, certainly not together. This is a shame, because each artist’s paintings play off one another’s nicely. Where the lighting in Ek’s portraits creates an air of intimacy and mystery, Toft’s portraits are urban and gritty. This makes perfect sense when displayed alongside his paintings of cityscapes, also on display. Where Ek’s paintings feel as though you’re spying through a keyhole at lovely ladies bathed in warm lamplight, Toft’s canvases make you feel as though you’ve stepped out your door into the frenzy of a bustling metropolis. Both painters employ their considerable technical skill to create atmospheric paintings with completely different moods, which are highlighted well when juxtaposed against one another.
Despite what the promotional info said about this show being a two-day only affair, this work will still be up until the closing reception from 6pm-11pm on Friday, December 2nd. If you blinked and missed this whole show, you can find the artists’ works at their respective websites.
www.andrewek.com
www.danatoft.com
VG/Vegan Gallery
2153 W. Division St.
Chicago, IL 60622
