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FAHREN FEINGOLD SOLO EXHIBITION CURATED BY INDIRA CESARINE OPENS AT THE UNTITLED SPACE

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Artist Fahren Feingold’s first solo show in New York debuted at The Untitled Space on the evening of Tuesday, September the 26th. The exhibition, which included over 50 of Feingold’s watercolors, was curated by artist and gallery director Indira Cesarine. Several of the artist’s never before seen works are currently being featured, including a number of  large-scale nudes. The Los Angeles-based artist’s paintings have been praised for their fusion of vivid color and romantic eroticism by numerous publications including Huffington Post, V Magazine, and Vogue. Last year, Feingold has been named a “trailblazing artist on a meteoric rise” by Vogue magazine, and a “particular standout” by V Magazine. Vice Creators has described her watercolors as “blooming and radiating with ethereal energy.”

“Fahren Feingold” Exhibit, The Untitled Space Gallery, New York

Guests including Kesley and Remy Bennett, Jennifer Olivia Famery-Mariani, Michael De Feo, Tatyana Murray, Katherine Crockett, Violette, Marcello Daldolce, Jamie Martinez, Michael Anthony Pegues, Alexandra Fanning and many others gathered at The Untitled Space to meet the artist and to contemplate her self-described oeuvre of “feminine humanity, intimate beauty, and fearless ethos.” Fahren Feingold’s solo exhibition is on display at The Untitled Space on 45 Lispenard Street until October 8th. Check out our exclusive coverage of the opening by photographer Dustin Wayne Harris, and continue reading for an exclusive interview with Fahren by gallery director and exhibit curator Indira Cesarine. For more events with Fahren Feingold in NYC including her live painting event at the gallery on Saturday, September 30th head to untitled-space.com.

Curator Indira Cesarine at “Fahren Feingold” Exhibit Opening Reception, The Untitled Space Gallery, New York

Indira Cesarine: How did you get started with watercolor painting and why do you choose to work in that particular medium? 

Fahren Feingold: I first started using watercolors to paint flowers and abstract shapes. It occurred to me that using the medium to paint nudes might be the perfect vehicle. While the subject matter often makes people uncomfortable and is considered taboo -the watercolors are soft and considered ethereal and dreamy. The medium almost masks the seemingly aggressive nature of a subject that people find threatening.

Nude paintings are a beautiful part of our history in art and culturally. Yet there still remain a lot of people who are frightened by nudity (their own and others).  I felt that with a medium such as watercolors, it would soften the delivery of the subject. Perhaps I could get more people to look at my work, who might normally shy away from the topic. Painting femininity and female sexuality is certainly not a new concept, but I wanted the approach to be less aggressive and subtler, as though I was whispering my message.

“HYPOCRYTICAL KISSES”, 2017 featured in “Fahren Feingold” Solo Show curated by Indira Cesarine, Exhibit artwork courtesy of The Untitled Space gallery, New York. Exhibit on view September 26 – October 8, 2017

IC: Your watercolors are highly sexualized and you appear to paint only women, what inspires that direction and what do you want viewers to take away from seeing your work?

FF: When someone stands in front of my painting, I hope they really take a moment with it. I hope they see a woman, not just her sexuality, but also her beauty and desire. I hope this awakens a reflection on their empathy, and they are reminded that sexuality is not just about sex. 

Just as there is a difference between nude and naked, there is a difference between erotic and porn.  If all art is considered erotic, then no erotic art is sexually offensive if artistically significant. It is only turned into porn if the viewer has those considerations brought with them.

I want my viewers to see feminine humanity, intimate beauty, and fearless ethos above all else –because that is the core of all women.

“COUGARS,PUMAS & PUSSYS OH MY”, 2016 featured in “Fahren Feingold” Solo Show curated by Indira Cesarine, Exhibit artwork courtesy of The Untitled Space gallery, New York. Exhibit on view September 26 – October 8, 2017

IC: Do you consider yourself to be a feminist artist, and does your gender define or influence your style in any way, shape or form? 

FF: I hope to communicate a sense of femininity and sensuality, beauty and color, eroticism and freedom. I want to address issues in censorship, showing female nudity as a beautiful moment and not something to be ashamed of. I paint women of different shapes, because the female form is like a flower -fascinating and alluring in it’s uniqueness.  

Women have the ability to take ownership of these attributes, instead of letting others dictate who they are and how they should feel about themselves. All of these things should be empowering, that women take ownership of.

As a woman, I am most certainly influenced by what happens to me and around me –it’s impossible not to acknowledge my surroundings and be affected.

Our current political climate has only strengthened my desire to continue painting. I want to push the limits of ongoing subject matters and offer it to a cause. Being part of and supporting group messages that promote equality is always something that is important to me. If I can help spread those message through my art, then that is something I don’t even have to consider –it just comes naturally.  I hope to take part in more events that benefit political causes I believe in.

“FACE THE DAY” featured in “Fahren Feingold” Solo Show curated by Indira Cesarine, Exhibit artwork courtesy of The Untitled Space gallery, New York. Exhibit on view September 26 – October 8, 2017

IC: Where do you find the women to paint?  Do you work from photos or from life or imagination? Do you try to represent diversity in your choice of women in your paintings and if so how?

FF: I spend a lot of time searching for subjects. I look for something that captures me -whether it is a look, a pose, a mood, a figure, a gesture – I believe that the figure can be just as expressive and emotional as facial expression. I look for a subject that carries that same sensibility, without feeling forced. I try to carry that inspiration thru my brush strokes and treat each figure as a unique spirit. I want to make sure that I am relating the mood of the individual and the moment I am trying to depict.

I look past color, country, age, weight, whatever other category people choose to define themselves or others –I’m simply looking for women who strike me as intriguingly beautiful or interesting. I don’t look to paint people as they look, but rather as I feel them, which is why viewers will often not know the natural skin color –since I paint in watery aura like dreamy colors.

“WHITE LIES FROM LOOSE LIPS”, 2017 featured in “Fahren Feingold” Solo Show curated by Indira Cesarine, Exhibit artwork courtesy of The Untitled Space gallery, New York. Exhibit on view September 26 – October 8, 2017

Don’t miss other events with Fahren Feingold while she’s in NYC! The artist will be participating in TRIBECA ART+CULTURE NIGHT on Wednesday, September 27th from 6-8 PM at The Untitled Space, and will be hosting a Live Painting Event and Brunch on Saturday, September 30th from 2-5 PM at the gallery. 

Event photography by Dustin Wayne Harris for The Untitled Magazine

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