“New York Narrative,” a new solo exhibition of paintings by Vincent Giarrano opened last night at the Foley Gallery on Orchard Street. Many of the paintings within Giarrano’s series focus on subjects in locations in the Lower East Side.
The gallery writes:
“The paintings document recognizable spaces around the city, specifically Lower East Side. Other pieces shift from public, lively areas to quieter spheres bringing us deeper into young New York residents’ lives…Giarrano’s scenes are infused with deeply saturated colors, often punctuated with the city’s architectural details, papered construction sites, and graffiti-laden doorways. But we are more often invited in, experiencing the personalized bedrooms of his subjects. Posters, books, plants, and small incidental keepsakes individualize and define what might be an otherwise cookie-cut interior, airless living space that New York apartments have a reputation of being. The moments that are shared are casual, more slice of life than New York drama.”
Giarrano is a contemporary American realist painter who was a former comic book artist, including a stint as an illustrator for DC and Marvel comics, working on the flagship series Batman and Batgirl. He has exhibited in major museums, including the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian and the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Vincent Giarrano’s New York Narrative is on view from May 22 – June 27, 2021. Foley Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 – 5:30 pm and Sunday, 12 – 5.
