“The intention Is To inspire the longing for betterment of the personality”
J.B. summary of the S.A. Art Practice 2018 - 2020
Artist Statement, February 2018
by Samuel Abelow
I pursue painting as a multidisciplinary, thinker and creator. My philosophical conclusions indicate that the function of art, and particularly of painting, lies in its power to evoke the imagination, communicate emotion and act as a decorative element in our living spaces.
Much of my work is compelled by inner spirits, or inner muse. That is to say that I paint to fulfill the dynamic manifestations of my deepest self. This often takes the guise of archetypal motifs, mixed with personal elements. The process of painting acts as a meditation on thematic, developing material.
However, it would be neglectful if I were to imply that my paintings have no intention to connect to a wide audience. My interest in the decorative aspect of painting, specifically inspired by the aesthetic approach of Paul Gauguin and Henri Matisse, as well as the Les Nabis painters of the 1890s, including Pierre Bonnard, constrain my formal presentations. It is within these boundaries that I tend to work.
Much in the way that I live life, I create my paintings. That is, the works are always in conversation with the personal and collective unconscious. I tend to weave together the contents of my journal, with mythological material; Thus, I am in conversation with the modern and ancient worlds. From the relatively minute slice of time that I personally inhabit, to the imagistic vicissitudes remaining along the route of humanity’s cultural trajectory, I am committed towards studying, looking closely and continuing the perennial tradition of producing image.
Paintings 2017
“Eros & Logos,” “Archetypal Feminine & Masculine,” diptych. Oil paint on linen, 14 x 11 inches. Painted 2018, S. Abelow. Installation and photograph, J.B. (Germany), 2020.
“Tending the House Plants,” oil paint on linen (un-stretched), approx. 24 x 30 inches