CULTURE
ARTIST ALEXANDER YULISH’S LATEST EXHIBITION, “THE SPACE IN BETWEEN”
MAR 13, 2024
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WORDS
by DOUGLAS HENRY LEWIS
@douglashenrylewis
IMAGES
courtesy ALEXANDER YULISH and GALLERY AP SPACE
There is perhaps nothing more indicative of a quintessential New York night than the attendance of a bustling opening reception filled to the brim with a unique cast of characters who foster a simultaneous appreciation of wonder for the eye. The classically trained art critics, photographers, editors, budding fashion designers, and acquaintances of all sorts mix in within one enormous boiling pot of creative and expressive splendor. Within the mighty roar of the press, conversations commence regarding creating space for a specific location within their homes for the art.
Alexander Yulish The Day Finds You Today, 2023, 78 x 78”, acrylic on canvas.
The art on view brought forth a feeling of calm as I glided through the gallery before being affected by bursts of excitement that came forth through the use of primary colors. The essence of liveliness and vitality radiated from stillness, as was the case with the commanding painting, The Blue Dream that exudes a visceral immediacy with its small explosions of yellow flowers. There was a figurative abstraction at play in the contrast that led to an emotional unpredictability, thus making the painting exciting at moments with the underlining vibrancy of turquoise in the background. The Red Couch, due to the range of warm tones, evokes the spirit of familial, an unconditional love that occurs with the routine of an immediate family settling into rest after a long day apart. Within this heated scene are two central figures, with a small figure gleefully observing who is presumed to be his elders or parents.
Yulish’s work is at its core unpredictable, shocking, and comforting all at the same time. His work is a dynamic play of opposites.
