The hysterical sublime

Barbara friedman

Since the lockdown, Barbara Friedman has been thinking about wildlife, bodies, and the blurring of categories, and she created a series of paintings she calls The Hysterical Sublime. These are scenes of intimacy, something we both desire and fear. In her paintings Friedman tries to turn something that feels like the sublime into actual creatures that appear spontaneously and connect with each other in unexpected ways.

In her paintings these creatures are sometimes human and sometimes not. She does not start with pre-determined images; instead she brings out the imagery, suggested by poured pools of oil paint, and passes it on to the viewer.

Wednesday, August 23, 6:30pm: Poetry Reading by Jiwon Choi
Wednesday, August 30, 6:30pm: Exhibition walk-through with Tom McGlynn
Tuesday, September 5, 5:30-8pm: Closing Reception

About the artist:

Barbara Friedman has had over forty solo shows throughout the United States and reviews of her work have appeared in the New York Times, the New York Sun, The Irish Times, Newsday, Art in America, ARTS Magazine, and Artweek. A group of her paintings were selected for the 2007 issue of New American Paintings, and another group for the 2010 issue. She lives, paints and teaches in New York City where she has been a professor of art at Pace University since 1983.

GALLERY HOURS:

Thursday - Sunday, 1 - 6pm, or by appointment. Please email hanne@fivemyles.org, or call 718-783-4438.

DIRECTIONS:

Take 2, 3, or 4 trains to Franklin Avenue. Walk two blocks against the traffic on Franklin. Walk ¾ block to 558 St. Johns Place. FiveMyles is within easy walking distance from the Brooklyn Museum.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

FiveMyles is in part supported by the New York State Council for the Arts, Public Funds from the New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Council Member Crystal Hudson, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, the Joseph Robert Foundation, and the William Talbott Hillman Foundation.