The recent exhibition at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, titled Intersection, featured a captivating pairing of paintings by Amanda Church and Jenny Hankwitz. This showcase of geometric abstractions highlighted the thriving nature of planar abstraction in the art world, a genre often overlooked. Church and Hankwitz, both seasoned practitioners of geometric abstraction, brought a unique perspective to the exhibition with their incorporation of curving lines and the use of black as a color palette.
Church’s paintings in the exhibition showcased a departure from her usual work, which typically alludes to the female body through geometric abstractions. In her recent pieces, such as “Untitled (Undressed),” Church introduced rounded shapes that are juxtaposed with irregular, sharply angled black and white forms. This ambiguity in form creates a sense of tension in her work, blurring the line between representation and abstraction.
On the other hand, Hankwitz’s sinuous abstractions featured elongated, bulbous forms twisting around each other in a limited color palette. Her compositions of interlocking shapes with hidden logic resist easy interpretation, inviting viewers to delve deeper into the complexity of her work. What sets Hankwitz apart is her ability to create a unique abstract language without being influenced by celebrated predecessors, offering a fresh perspective on the genre.
Hankwitz’s paintings exude a sense of movement, with tubular forms expanding and contracting within the canvas. The shifting figure-ground relationship and fluid shapes evoke a dynamic energy that keeps the viewer engaged. Hankwitz’s art transcends the boundaries of the canvas, hinting at a world of shapes in motion that elude easy categorization.
Both Church and Hankwitz have demonstrated a remarkable solidity in their artistic trajectories, resisting external pressures and following their own artistic vision. The exhibition at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects showcased the evolution of their work, highlighting their individual contributions to the world of geometric abstraction.
Intersection: Abstractions by Amanda Church and Jenny Hankwitz is a testament to the enduring nature of planar abstraction and the innovative spirit of these two artists. The exhibition, organized by the gallery, runs until March 8th at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects in Lower East Side, Manhattan.
