JAMES CASE-LEAL. ULTRAVIOLET CATASTROPHE.
On the occasion of the 56th Biennale di Venezia, THE POOL NYC is proud to present Ultraviolet Catastrophe, the first solo Italian exhibition by New York based artist James Case-Leal.
This exhibition will include selections of paintings from three unique series on light Sun painting, Black Rainbows, and Invisible Light.
James Case-Leal creates rainbows and celestial bodies linked to the creation of the universe. His paintings are made with numerous layers of paint sprayed on linen canvases stretched over wood. The surfaces are scrubbed and polished to perfection. The effect is extremely beautiful and powerful. You can see many things in these perfect works. They reference moments from the Big Bang to the intensity of Turner to the serenity of James Turrell.
His Sun paintings offer the experience of staring at the sun with all its warmth, brightness, and intensity. In his Black Rainbow paintings he creates a rainbow, the result of sun and rain together, and places it against a deep black background, a space that appears dreamy and mysterious. The White Light paintings are based on invisible light – the light that is outside of our visible spectrum, but surrounds us.
A selection of small porcelain sculptures representing masks and heads are displayed throughout the floor. They evoke anthropology and ground the ethereal experience of the paintings to remind us that we are here with the earth.
The exhibition will take place at Palazzo Cesari-Marchesi in Venice, a palace temporarily transformed in to a gallery for this exhibition. The XVII century Palazzo, with Terrazzo floors and Stucco rooms are a perfect setting for Case-Leals work. The mix of contemporary paintings in this historical building will be mind blowing.
Case-Leal is a Texan born New York based artist, who received a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University in 2014. He has most recently exhibited in NYC at Marianne Boesky, Fergus McCaffrey, and Franklin Parrasch galleries. This will be his first solo show in Italy.