Fariba Baghi: Floating Bodies

Exhibition Details

Location: Agora Gallery, 530 West 25th St, Chelsea, New YorkDates: April 1, 2017 – April 21, 2017Opening Reception: Thursday, April 6, 6:00pm - 8:00pmGallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00am – 6:00pmEvent URL: Agora Gallery - Fariba Baghi

About Fariba Baghi

Fariba Baghi, an artist born in Tehran, Iran, and now residing in Toronto, Canada, creates ethereal abstract paintings that delve into the intricate connections between the human body and nature. Her work, primarily rendered in earthen tones, achieves a remarkable lightness through her expert manipulation of texture. Baghi employs a variety of mediums, including acrylic, homemade organic paint, and even cement, to layer and stretch her colors, creating a gauzy, almost ephemeral quality.

Artistic Techniques and Themes

Baghi's personal experiences, marked by paradoxes and contrasts, deeply influence her art. Growing up in Iran, she faced challenges in finding models to draw, which has led to her figures being imbued with a sense of mystery. Their faces are often obscured, and their body language is ambiguous, dissolving into pure pigment at the edges. Baghi also incorporates photographs into her work, creating mixed-media collages that enhance the otherworldly atmosphere of her pieces.

Notable Contributions

Baghi has made significant contributions to the art community, including donating several of her paintings to the Canadian film company Phoolan Devi. Her work continues to captivate audiences with its unique blend of texture, color, and mixed media.

Contemporary Perspectives Exhibition

Agora Gallery's "Contemporary Perspectives" exhibition showcases a diverse group of artists who reinterpret classic themes with a modern twist. This collective exhibition highlights the ongoing dialogue between past and present in the art world.

Featured Artists

• Lauralee Franco
• Fariba Baghi
• Craig Frankowski
• Stephanie E. Graham
• Gail Comes
• Bobbie See

Exhibition Overview

"Contemporary Perspectives" brings together artists who approach traditional subject matter with innovative techniques and fresh perspectives. The exhibition features a variety of mediums, including oil, acrylic, and mixed media, each artist bringing their unique vision to the forefront.

Oil Painters

1. Romantic Landscapes: One artist depicts romantic landscapes using highly stylized, streamlined patterns.
2. Hyperrealistic Florals: Another artist creates hyperrealistic floral paintings on irregular canvases.
3. Reverential Portraits: A third artist paints portraits with traditional reverential busts, but with saturated colors and animated body language, focusing on women of color.

Acrylic Painters

1. Imaginary Forests: One acrylic painter creates dramatic visions of completely imaginary forests.
2. Abstracted Landscapes: Another places realistic figures in foggy, abstracted landscapes.

Mixed Media and Ink

• Meticulous Botanicals: The final artist works in ink and mixed media to create meticulous botanical illustrations that recall both scientific catalogues and the watercolor works of nineteenth-century leisure painters.

Interesting Stats

• Art Market Growth: The global art market was valued at approximately $64.1 billion in 2019, with contemporary art making up a significant portion of this market (Statista).
• Women in Art: Despite making up 51% of visual artists, women only account for 13.7% of artists represented in galleries in Europe and North America (Artsy).

Conclusion

Fariba Baghi's work, featured in the "Contemporary Perspectives" exhibition at Agora Gallery, offers a unique and captivating exploration of the human form and nature. Her innovative use of texture and mixed media, combined with her personal experiences, creates a mesmerizing and otherworldly effect that continues to captivate audiences. Don't miss the opportunity to experience her ethereal abstracts from April 1 to April 21, 2017, in Chelsea, New York.