The Grenning Gallery is pleased to invite the public to the opening reception for Ramiro's Solo Show on Saturday July 19th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Ramiro solo show this year steps forward into a more mystical and hopeful realm. Anchoring the exhibit is a suite of four substantial figurative works, with each painting representing a season of the soul. Although well known for his expert likenesses in portraiture and grand figurative work, Ramiro's distinguishing characteristic is, ironically, his ability to let go of the discreet reality of the eyes when necessary. With this, he infuses his narrative compositions with mystery that allows the paintings to endure the critical test of time.
"Spring" symbolizes the start of a new effort, which is made despite risk, seen in the hornet, which is hovering around her head. Rather than fear, her face emits hope and positive energy as the figure looks as if this pale waif is going to step out of her pale world. A translucent bubble barely supports her, as she rests a foot on a hint of a step, a top a sand colored world with hints of a warm sunset.
"Summer" rises up out of her cool night waters, with several moons dotting the steamy sky. Woman coming from and creating the source of water is a theme that we have seen for 16 years in Ramiro's work. In this piece however, the moody setting is a perfect foil for his figured direct and arresting gaze which transfixes the viewer.
"Autumn" is a fine figurative work of a dreamscape evoking the coming hibernation. Here, her legs are beautifully rendered out in the light, but the torso of the figure is laying back in the space. She disappears into an abstract painting which is rich and dark with splashes of brilliant autumn colors, like leaves falling.
"Winter" is an indoor painting, unlike the others, depicting a single figure reading a book in front of his studio's book case, packed with art postcards, art history books and jars of pigments. Beautiful spring flowers drift in the foreground, as the reader, lost in her alternative reality through the literature, is thinking the flowers into existence. Ramiro's poetic translation of his winters spent in his studio in Florence is a perfect contrast the plein air landscapes made on the East End and in Italy that finish this show.
Laura Grenning
July 2014
