Roland Flexner November 24, 2012

D'Amelio Gallery presents a solo exhibition of works on paper by New York-based artist Roland Flexner. In this installation, Flexner presents 100 framed drawings, each of which can be read individually or as part of a larger group. On two opposite walls in the main gallery, Flexner has installed two symmetrical groups of 26 liquid graphite drawings in a larger format than his previous work at 9 by 12 inches. On the remaining walls, Flexner introduces the element of color for the first time, presenting three square grids of drawings of a smaller scale made with violet calligraphy ink on one wall, and an ensemble of 21 drawings made with black and gold calligraphy ink on the other. The vibrant color and intense pigmentation of the calligraphy ink introduces a new depth to his spontaneous abstractions, evoking saturated terrestrial and galactic landscapes. While the compositional range of the images as a whole is varied, the installation is united in the artist's focus on his material and method of application, revealing the ink's natural life and tendencies as it is pushed forward into pictorial imagery.