The Menil Collection opens "The Iconic Portrait Strand" by Nestor Topchy
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Tuesday, November 5, 2024


The Menil Collection opens "The Iconic Portrait Strand" by Nestor Topchy
Nestor Topchy; Photo by Caroline Philippone.



HOUSTON, TX.- The Iconic Portrait Strand by Nestor Topchy—the first museum exhibition of Houston-based artist Nestor Topchy’s (b.1963) contemporary portraits—opens today at the Menil Collection. The show will include a selection of some one hundred paintings using techniques and materials associated with religious icons for more than 800 years. He considers these contemporary portraits as a single and ongoing work of art, a corpus, that for Topchy, not only depicts his circle of friends and colleagues, but also represents and honors his community.

Topchy’s work has connections to the Menil’s important holdings of religious icons that span fourteen centuries and include significant examples of devotional objects from the Byzantine Empire and Christian Orthodox traditions. Topchy’s luminescent contemporary versions share a complex array of layered materials (red clay, hot hide glue, powdered marble, gold leaf, pure earth pigments, and egg yolk) on small wooden panels, and are finished with precise brushwork, called “ozhivki”, or life-giving lines. What distinguishes The Iconic Portrait Strand from historical precedent is that the artist does not depict holy figures or events, but everydaysubjects. Through this reverential painting technique, Topchy presents his sitters in a sacred context, connecting the past to the present, the sacred to the profane. “To paint a mortal in the sea of gold light, alone,” Topchy states, “is to propose a saintliness that dwells within all people.”

Michelle White, Senior Curator, The Menil Collection, said, “The Menil is proud to present The Iconic Portrait Strand by Nestor Topchy. Nestor has been a friend and collaborator of the Menil for many years and given our collection and conservation commitment to the care and study of Byzantine-era art, objects, and material processes, it is an ideal place to showcase his reimagination of the art form. In these iconic portraits, the artist astutely balances his deeply traditional and spiritual approach with familiar subjects. The startling result not only elevates the subject but poses fascinating questions about the relevancy of the divine within contemporary art practices and what it means to capture likeness in a moment flooded with images.”

Describing this work, Nestor Topchy explains, “I began this project as a way of exploring what was innate to myself as an artist. It was a way of bringing together resonant images from my childhood. I grew up in the Orthodox Church and was fascinated early on with the symbolic patterns of Ukrainian pysanka egg designs. I also enjoy working within the restraints of the craft of icon painting. The controlled and formal language allows many possibilities to emerge, especially through the meaningful connections that take place through my process. I make the sketches for the paintings by drawing each sitter in person, so the work also becomes about that interaction, connecting the temporal, ephemeral moment with history and tradition, a gesture towards the immutable, the divine.”

An American-Ukrainian artist, Nestor Topchy was born and raised in New Jersey. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Houston. Deeply influenced by Ukrainian folk art, Zen philosophy, the Dada art movement, and the work of Yves Klein, he is known for his use of diverse media and attention to craft. Topchy has worked in Houston for over thirty years and is the founder of HIVE (Habitable Interdisciplinary Visionary Environment).

The Iconic Portrait Strand by Nestor Topchy is curated by Michelle White, Senior Curator, The Menil Collection.

Menil Collection
Nestor Topchy: "The Iconic Portrait Strand"
August 4th, 2023 - January 21st, 2024










Today's News

August 4, 2023

He spent decades collecting Presidential signatures. Then lost them in an instant.

Gagosian Rome presents an exhibition of new works by contemporary artist Alex Israel

'Chewing Gum VI' to show how globalization can dispel and dissolve cultural differences at Pace Gallery

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza restores Fra Angelico's painting of The Virgin of Humility

European artist creates architectonic sculpture specifically for Oklahoma Contemporary

Affordable Art Fair launches new Austin location and welcomes fair director

Tate Liverpool exhibition showcases radical new approach to collecting art

Artists from four continents bring together various cultural backgrounds at Elizabeth Xi Bauer

National Nordic Museum exhibits new sculpture by Jónsi, 'Iridian light vs loom evil'

Kitenge Banza's exhibition 'Inhabiting the Imaginary' will be on view at the PHI Foundation starting today

Acclaimed British artist Noj Barker launches new art at airports with exhibitions at Heathrow and Gatwick

The Menil Collection opens "The Iconic Portrait Strand" by Nestor Topchy

Lawrence Abu Hamdan's first solo presentation in Scotland on view at Talbot Rice Gallery

With 'Talk to Me,' directors leap from phone screens to the big screen

Experience the stunning story quilts of artist Tina Williams Brewer

5 minutes that will make you love Miles Davis' electric period

Roger Sprung, banjo virtuoso of NYC folk scene, dies at 92

Hollywood writers and studios to restart talks after 3-month standoff

Paris bookstalls are told to relocate during next year's Olympics

Loughran Gallery is currently exhibiting 'Extinct' based on the childhood obsession of Dave White

'Closer' by Magda Kirk now open at the GR gallery offers a fresh twist on her traditional vision

Postpartum Self-Care Routine: 7 Ways To Help Your Mind and Body Heal

SEO Secrets for Explosive Ecommerce Growth: Unveiling the Power

Modern Architecture in Houses in the Philippines: Redefining Contemporary Living

How To Find The Right Color Code For Your Wall

How To Donate an Art Collection With This Superb Strategy

Dive Into The World Of Excitement With SBOBET's Extensive Variety Of Sports And Games

SBOBET's Features, Odds and Bonuses As The Premier Betting Platform

10 Tips for Creating Exquisite Digital Art in Photoshop: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

How the Plumbing Service Works

Dealing with the Devastating Impact of Spinal Cord Injuries in Garland

Turning Tragedy into Triumph: Legal Steps after a Bike Accident in McKinney




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Attorneys
Truck Accident Attorneys
Accident Attorneys
Holistic Dentist
Abogado de accidentes
สล็อต
สล็อตเว็บตรง

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site Parroquia Natividad del Señor
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful