Andy Denzler, Between the Shadows

Opera Gallery is proud to present Between the Shadows, a solo exhibition of new works by Swiss artist Andy Denzler.

As the title suggests, shadows play a central role in the series. Denzler examines the space in between, the moments of empty space on the canvas surface, as a continuous exploration of what he does not see or what appears in the composition as a latent ambiguity. In this recent body of works, the abstract and the reality that arise between the subject and the object draws the viewer into the painting. In these enigmatic scenes shadow and light are essential. In the black paintings the background merges with the foreground and the shadow in between.

Denzler’s works are known for capturing the human condition in figurative paintings inspired by photography.

Each brushstroke on a painting starts with the human figure and the interior is built around that. Denzler uses his studio as a stage with props and furniture to compose the space, painted in loose, free brushstrokes using a combination of heavy impasto oil paints and dripping turps. By using cream colours of sienna browns, broken whites and raw umber, the pieces have a warm feel yet gradually evoke memories, longing and melancholic. But it’s the uncanny juxtaposition that creates the tension in these latest works painted in oil on canvas.