Indianapolis: Streetside, Genna Pianki
Come to the City Gallery this Friday night and check out Indianapolis painter Genna Pianki's exhibit, Indianapolis: Streetside. On entering the gallery, the first thing you will notice is Pianki's rich use of color--surprising to find in paintings that depict, among other things, abandoned buildings in industrial areas. Working from photographs, the artist streamlines the images, focusing on the shapes that make them memorable, then infuses them with bold, competing colors.
Pianki writes,
The process before the painting begins allows me to recall what I saw that drew me to it in the first place, discover something new I didn’t see the first time, remember the area around it, think about why it is now closed or how it influences the neighborhood. Taking something that might be considered an eyesore or an empty corner lot and making it attractive is the focus of each scene.
When others see my work they often speak on the memories that location evokes or their connection with the street or building. I love this engagement and I tremendously enjoy painting a space differently that it may currently reside in.
Trained at Herron School of Art + Design, she is currently a studio artist at Circle City Industrial Complex. Her work has been shown locally at Gallery 924, Meridian Street Gallery and the Hoosier Salon. Pianki draws inspiration from artists such as Richard Estes (for his geometrical landscapes and city scenes), Mark Rothko (for painting large and with vibrant color) and Johannes Vermeer (for the way he captures light).
Indianapolis: Streetside hangs in the City Gallery through December 24.