16 Nov 2017

Arthur Levine: Paintings and Drawings

Prince Street Gallery

Reviewed by Petey Brown

Arthur Levine's quirky, eccentric paintings begin with line drawings. Within these structures, his 19th-century subjects - ships, castles, romantic landscapes - are springboards for an exuberant assault of wet-into-wet paint. Ferocious brushstrokes build luminous surfaces. Levine finds passion and mystery where Van Gogh found them, tethered to the earthy heaviness of the artist's materials. In Galleon, a ship with bulbous sails seems to burst out of the format, displaying an energy unwilling to be contained. This animated quality underscores its forcefulness.

In contrast, the pencil drawings, made from direct observation, are considered, sensitive, and meditative. Seen from a distance they recall the delicacy of Chinese scrolls. One unusual drawing captures the abstract pattern of a baseball field.

The counterpoint of exhibiting muscular paintings alongside quiet drawings offers a comprehensive view of this surprising artist.