Published by St-Barth Weekly - Local News in English
Edition N°245 - March 22, 2012 (Page 26)
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Michael Kagan Thunderkiss II, 2011 Oil on linen (59.84 x 79.92 in | 152 x 203 cm)
Space SBH presents a selection of new paintings by Michael Kagan. The work comprises a beautiful collection of images observing the golden age of space travel in the 1960's, when space exploration was the final frontier...
In the series exhibited at Space Gallery SBH, Kagan's paintings concentrate on the possibilities and power of light; sometimes the images are excitingly blown out or photo bleached and sometimes create soft calm shadows. He renders opposites; fast, powerful, chaotic senses with mediated areas. Thick, fast, and at times explosive overlapping brush strokes cross and interweave violently throughout the canvas.
However, the flurry of brush strokes dissolves, and then come together to form an image of peace and tranquility and silence in space or contrastingly the kinetic frenzy inherent in a rocket blast, further amplified by the large scale of the work. Machinery, complex space hardware, reflections, and launch explosions are broken up into thick strokes and layers of paint.
Astronauts can be interpreted as the modern day Icarus or sky god. Michael Kagan uses this imagery in his recent paintings in order to emulate the cinematic experience of an impassioned viewer of space travel. Kagan’s fundamental interest in space travel stems from childhood experiences at the NASA space camp, model rocket launches in the park, and night-time telescope viewings of the moon.
Space SBH
Carré d'Or, Gustavia