Roman Fine Art in Sag Harbor presents “Halcyon Daze,” a solo exhibit by Brooklyn based painter Adam Umbach. The show, which marks the artist’s first solo exhibit with the gallery, includes paintings in a series called “Playtime.”
The artists work depicts recognizable objects, which include structures and toys like rubber ducks, stuffed bunnies, and pink flamingo lawn ornaments.
The collection of works “explores a collective nostalgia for childhood memories by juxtaposing detailed photorealistic representations of everyday objects with expressionistic mark makings,” read a statement from the gallery.
Umbach uses his non-dominant hand to create thickly rendered lines and forms and constructs a sense of movement and physicality on the canvas.
“The formal tension mirrors the balance between his playful, often humorous choice of subjects with the weight of the memories they symbolize — a sense of loneliness pervading a singular teddy bear, toy truck, or boat combined with the comfort and hope that it brings,” stated the gallery. His paintings invite viewers to imagine and evoke their own memories.
The artist began his panting career with minimalist canvases based on the names of color swatches. His creative approach experiments with abstraction, geocentric painting, and expressionism.
“The evolution of Umbach’s painting is markedly influenced by his surroundings, from the maritime imagery and seaside colors of East Hampton and Maine, to the graphic style of New York’s architecture and graffiti,” the gallery noted.
The show will run through February 28. It can also be viewed online at www.artsy.net/roman-fine-art.