May 10, 2018 - July 5, 2018
In this recent body of work, Jerry Dienes imagines and creates paintings that may have been conceived by Niggle, the titular artist in J.R.R. Tolkien’s short story “Leaf By Niggle.” Dienes embodies the story and examines what it means to lose oneself in pursuit of perfection. His meticulous and vibrant paintings point towards ideals sought after but never captured.
Dienes takes great care to bring his imagination to life through patient detailing. Each oil painting’s vivid texture and tactile realism draw us closer and closer to where imagination meets reality, yet there still remains a disconnect between conceptualization and the brush. Perfection is sought but never achieved. Does the search for beauty or greatness consume us? Or can we embrace the serenity that may be found in this exploration?
Photos by Chela Crinnion
Curated by Eva Ting & Angie Vuyst
About the artist:
Jerry Dienes creates classical and realistic paintings of still life, portraits, landscapes, figures, trompe l’oeils, interiors, narratives, and murals. Dienes trained at the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio, and in 1984 came to New York to pursue classical art education and gallery representation. Taking classes at the New York Academy of Art and The Printmakers Workshop, he later studied figure painting and drawing with Jacob Collins at The Water Street Atelier, as well as figure drawing with Dan Thompson, Michael Grimaldi, and Ephraim Rubenstein at the Art Students League. He most recently studied part-time with Justin Wood at the Grand Central Atelier.