FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beverly Fishman: Chemical Abstraction

November 18 - December 31, 2005

Opening reception: Friday, November 18, 5:00 - 7:30pm

Beverly Fishman's large, multi-paneled compositions explore the relationship between contemporary culture and the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Utilizing the visual language of medical technology, such as DNA structures, EKG patterns, and prescription drugs, the artist addresses the hopes and promises of medicine and the transformative potentials of art. Color theory and the optical effects of color are important components in Fishman's work. Her vibrant color combinations evoke a visceral, transformative effect on the viewer, referencing the mind-altering drugs that inform the work.

The artist's creative process combines industrial production with direct, personal touch. Fishman begins by scanning and manipulating imagery found in medical journals and drug reference guides. These iconic forms are custom silkscreened onto vinyl in a variety of sizes and colors and hand-applied to commercially fabricated aluminum panels. The process of color selection and composition development is intuitive for the artist, although the materials must be predetermined and custom-made. The surfaces appear slick and mass-produced, but close examination reveals slight imperfections made by the human hand.

Although Fishman references the overload of technological imagery that bombards our senses each day, she is reluctant to pass judgment on the mass-production of pharmaceuticals, or the power of the medical industry. Instead, she creates visually stunning tableaus on which the viewer is encouraged to contemplate such issues. The artist conceives of her compositions as figurative. The overall dimensions are comparable to human scale and the imagery is derived from scientific interpretations of the fragmented body. By using repeated, multi-layered imagery, Fishman relates formal ideas about pattern and decoration to the human figure.

Fishman studied art at the Philadelphia College of Art and at Yale University where she studied under Judy Pfaff, Elizabeth Murray, and Mel Bochner. Professionally, she holds the title of the head of the Painting Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This year she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and currently resides in New York.

Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 11:00am - 6:00pm, Saturday 12:00 - 5:00pm.

Please contact the gallery for more information at 312.243.1112 or info@skestosgabriele.com.