THE ART SCENE: Still lifes by Alexander Motyl featured in "After Hours" exhibit (09/21/03)

THE ART SCENE: Still lifes by Alexander Motyl featured in "After Hours" exhibit

MALVERN, Pa. - An exhibit titled "After Hours," featuring the still lifes and figures in oil of Alexander Motyl and Lauren Acton, respectively, opens at The Tori Collection's gallery on King Street, on Friday, September 26. The exhibit will be on view through November 8.

Dr. Motyl, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and author of numerous books and articles, is widely regarded as an expert on the subject of nationalism in Eastern Europe. He is also one of the gallery's leading artists. For this exhibition, Dr. Motyl presents a new series of still lifes using images of bottles.

The evolving corpus of Dr. Motyl's work, which, as noted on the Tori Collection website, is "tersely styled and quietly rendered, ... hovers between cityscape, still life and figures. Inspired by his reverence for the ordinary, Motyl's most representational work projects the prosaic features of urban architecture. Personalized by the artist through a pictorial and symbolic focus, Windows align the artist's gaze with the viewer's emotion."

With regard to the artist's recent work, the site goes on to note that "Motyl presents a series of angular, elongated nudes braced against starkly simplified landscapes. Through the meditative beauty of such figures, Motyl extends the mood of solitude and introspection of his earlier work."

Dr. Motyl studied painting with Leon Goldin at Columbia University. Since his first exhibit in a group show at the gallery of the Ukrainian Artists' Association of America in New York City in 1975, and subsequently, in 1980. He has taken part in a number of exhibits including "Habitats," Agora Gallery, New York, 1998; "Metro Art," Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, 1999; Solo Show, Columbia University, New York, 1999; and, The Phyllis Lucas Gallery, New York, 2000).

Dr. Motyl's previous exhibits at The Tori Collection include: "Emergence: The Artistry of Color and Perception" held in New York in October 2001 and in Villanova, Pa., in November 2001.

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Also featured in the exhibit are oils by Lauren Acton. Ms. Acton's sensuous and expressive images of the nude capture the emotions of human relations. Ms. Acton, who studied abroad in Paris and Italy, completed her studied at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University.

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The Tori Collection has recently opened its new gallery in historic Malvern. As in the main collection, it has on display a wide range of contemporary fine arts featuring a number of leading international artists living in and outside the Untied States, including Cuba, England, France, Italy, Japan and Taiwan. Exhibitions featuring a solo artist or group show are held every two months.

Gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday,11 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For additional information and directions call (610) 408-0111 or e-mail: [email protected].

The work of both artists may be seen on The Tori Collection website, www.toricollection.com.

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