Present Paintings

Gwendolyn Zabicki
May 8 – June 13, 2015
RAC FlexSpace
Reception: Friday, May 8, 7 – 9pm

It is a rare and exciting opportunity to see a painting next to its subject, to witness the choices, edits, and improvisations that were made by the artist. The time that went into each painting is visible and the steps of its creation can be pieced together by the viewer.Each present painting is a gift, so why not treat them as such by giving them away? Lewis Hyde wrote in The Gift, “When a part of the self is given away, community appears.” My hope is that this act will allow us, the artist and the viewer, to bypass the transactional, commercial nature of art and instead connect in a more personal way. So often while viewing art, the first thing you read after the title of a painting is the price. The idea that these paintings cannot be purchased adds to their value.A present is brought to a party as a gesture of goodwill. It represents the inexpressible and invisible value of relationships between people– “the parts of the self” we offer to those we love. At the core of all my work is the fear that plagues many Millennials: the fear of missing out (on potential friends, on experiences). A party is an antidote to that fear. It is a celebration between friends of what we do have, of our time together.

Naturally, attendance at the reception is very important to the theme and completion of this exhibition. See you there. – Gwendolyn Zabicki

About Gwendolyn Zabicki:
Gwendolyn Zabicki is a painter from Chicago. She earned her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2005 and her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2012. Her work has shown at Comfort Station, The Hyde Park Art Center, Gallery 400, Northern Illinois University, and The Bauhaus¬ Universität in Weimar, Germany. She is the founder of the South Logan Arts Coalition and the pop-up exhibition space, Frogman Gallery. Currently, she teaches painting at the Hyde Park Art Center. Learn more at www.gwendolynzabicki.com