Steven Assael: New Paintings and Drawings

November 12, 2015, New York, NY – Steven Assael, called “the foremost figurative painter of his generation” by The Art Newspaper, will exhibit his latest paintings and drawings at Forum Gallery, New York from November 12 to December 31, 2015. In these works, Assael’s focus is on brides and grooms, each embodying the hope, fear, anticipation and resolve that make betrothal a subject of such import to the Artist. “I usually start”, the artist states, “with a visual, thematic idea – brides, for example – but the narrative evolves, its subtext articulated as the painting develops.” Family has long loomed large in Assael’s painting; in the past, he has explored the birth of his children, the death of his parents and his own ambitions and frailties. Now, he encapsulates the meaning of men and women preparing to become and create new families and new generations.

The 12 paintings and 5 drawings in the exhibition are created by the Artist from life, imagination, carefully chosen vintage clothing and the insightful and observational prowess of the Artist. Assael’s prodigious technique, his use of light and shadow and accurate line and detail are deployed in the interest of the implication of narrative; the psychological import of the scene, the relationship and the character of the sitter. Over time, Assael’s sitters reveal themselves and become part of the narrative.

A life-long New Yorker, born in 1957, Steven Assael is the recipient of many awards and grants and is a highly respected teacher and lecturer whose drawings workshops are widely popular throughout the United States and Canada. His paintings and drawings have been the subject of one person exhibitions at major museums from Seattle, WA to Naples, FL and are often included in group exhibitions at institutions across the country. The current show is Steven Assael’s eighth since joining Forum Gallery in 1998.