The Allure of the Figure

Atlanta art gallery, R. Alexander’s group exhibition The Allure of the Figure is a collection of select figurative works by internationally and nationally acclaimed artists that shows their various approaches to portraying the human body; featured artists include Jose Borrell, Javier Arizabalo, Roman Frances, Giner Bueno, Oscar Mersch, and sculptures by Paige Bradley and Marton Varo.

On view will be works by artist Javier Arizabalo who aims to emphasize the formalistic qualities of the body via a hyperrealistic approach to painting. The viewer is caught up in the minute details of the skin, the contrasts between light and shadow, and the realistic qualities that transform paint into flesh.

In contrast, artists such as Paige Bradley portray the human form beyond the physical and emphasize the body as a vessel for expressing greater ideas that transcend form. For Bradley, the body is not only a metric for physical human beauty, but also a structure useful for expressing human emotion, vitality, and energy. Bradley states, “The figure to me is the perfect vehicle to communicate the human condition.” Her dynamic sculptures portray figures in action, pushing physical limits, to convey the determination and inner strength of each individual.

Jose Borrell and Roman Frances’s figures have a dream-like quality given their surreal surroundings of gardens and floating drapery. These works are meant to place the viewer in a tranquil state of mind while Oscar Mersch’s scenes from everyday life highlight the mundane and the connection we have to people all around us.