The Rosenfeld Gallery

Leo Sewell is an anomaly: his sculpture defies categorization and his aesthetic forebears are not obvious in his work. His sculptures reward the viewer with the sumptuous delight of visually caressing and savoring physical forms. There is a complexity to his work that distinguishes it from the works of the hoards of others assembling found objects.

The key to Sewell’s success is his ability to capture the essential overall form of his subjects. The natural verisimilitude of his animals is uncanny. His choice of posture and emphasis on significant details capture the gestalt, the real feel of his subject. While we are aware of the total mass of the subject, we begin to focus on the individual objects of its construction. This dual comprehension, experiencing the whole as we are absorbed by discovering the parts, creates a delightful, intriguing tension.

On another level the pieces are delightfully ironic. The bison contains two pistol butts reminding us of the old west and the senseless slaughter of the buffalo. The body contains many fish and a metal tab stating “water line,” reminding us that the prairies were formerly oceans. Visual puns are rampant. High on the chest of the seated woman is a small wind-up clock, her ticker.

Leo Sewell has been making his art in Philadelphia for over forty years but even though his work is in private and public collections all over the world, this will be his first major show in a Philadelphia gallery.

Now that’s irony.

Thamer Dawood Sudani will be showing recent mixed media paintings on canvas at Rosenfeld gallery from January 10 until January 31, 2010. This will be much more than an upbeat exhibition of beautifully conceived and deftly handled, personal images. This show will be a dramatically graphic demonstration of the transcendent power of the creative drive, the sustaining life force of art and the courage and determination of a man’s will to freedom.

Thamer Sudani, 43, is a Shiite Muslim; his wife, Montaha Majeed Sudani, 38, is a Sunni. They fled their home in Baghdad in 2005 after militias bombed businesses on the street where Thamer was a painter and graphic designer. Like many of his colleagues in the graphics and printing business, he was perceived as cooperating with Americans and targeted by the militias. He made the decision to leave after his mother was hospitalized by a neighborhood explosion.

Sudani, Montaha and their three young children fled to Jordan in a taxi, a six hour, harrowing trip. The Sudanis arrived in Jordan with the clothes on their backs and their modest life savings. In spite of Amman being crowded with nearly a million other Iraqi refugees, Thamer found a place to live, got design work and applied for refuge status. In Baghdad his paintings had been widely exhibited by both prestigious institutions and private galleries. His art became his ticket for admission to the United States in March, 2008.

In Jordan, Sudani worked on a wall mural project called “Peace Is in our Hands.” Half the mural was created by Iraqi artists living in Amman and half by Iraqis in the U.S. The project gave birth to a joint exhibition for Iraqi and American artists. Rosemary Lane, a retired art professor at the University of Delaware was instrumental in assembling an exhibit at the Delaware Art Museum and helped Sudani find lodging with a Chester County family. It was at that time that Thamer was put in touch with Aref A. Aref, a native Palestinian and a retired Dupont chemist. Aref has served as the family’s interpreter and main contact with American society.

While his family was still waiting in Amman for refugee status from the United Nations, Sudani was granted U.S. work and residency permits and a friend found him a small place to live in Wilmington. In 2009 the U.N.’s refugee agency in Jordan granted Montaha and the three children refugee status and their case was referred to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services office in Washington. The church group contacted Catholic Charities in Wilmington and this group did much to expedite the speedy reunion of the Sudani family and have continued to be a major support in their difficult acclimation.

Even though the 14 month separation from his family was filled with constant anxiety and loneliness, the work Sudani painted during that most difficult separation is beautifully lyrical, upbeat and optimistic.

It is with great respect and pride that I present this show that is an exhibition of determination, creativity, love and courage. It transcends all religious, political and social considerations.

With special thanks to Joseph Ryan, Assistant Editor of the Catholic Charities paper, “The Dialogue,” and author of the article about Sudani,“From Fear to Hope.” Thanks to Aref Aref who has now become my trusted interpreter, and thanks to Rosemary Lane who first put me in touch with Thamer.

The sorrowful plight of serious artists in his country not being able to make a decent living from their chosen life’s work is a function of community values. The transcendent value of the creative arts is rarely recognized or appreciated by people in general. Therefore, I nominate Rodney Dangerfield as the Patron Saint of Artists. Just like Rodney, artists get no respect, no respect at all. Ok. So the under informed public do not appreciate the artists in their midst, but what about museums?

Are not art museums that exist to display and protect the most valued art work evidence of a high level of respect for the artists that produced these cultural treasures? Isn’t this the loftiest form of respect? In a way, yes, but treasuring works of art is not the same as respecting the artists themselves. How many artists do you think are on the boards of major art museums? Virtually none! Probably a few artists that have attained a certain level of celebrity and material success sit on boards as figureheads. Museums today are big businesses and need boards with savvy business leaders for guidance and wealthy patrons to make and solicit substantial donations. Sure, but financial considerations are only one aspect of museum operations. What about artistic policy? The board selects the director and oversees decisions regarding curators, acquisitions and other matters calling for aesthetic value judgements. Surely there is room on these boards for a few practicing artists whose input would be invaluable. If artists were truly respected members of society they would be appointed to boards of all sorts of cultural and social institutions.

Poor Rodney, If he were alive today and knew he was being beatified, he would turn over in his grave.

What a Shame

America has a shameful little secret. In this country that prides itself in being at the forefront of world culture there is virtually no such thing as a professional artist, someone who makes their living through their creative output. Oh, sure there are a few. The cultural icons, superstars that have the high profile museum shows and grace the glossy covers of the prestigious, New York based art magazines. There is a tipping point where these personalities become known primarily for their celebrity rather than their art. However, the number of these high earners is statistically insignificant. Almost all the rest have to supplement their incomes by other means in order to support a decent life. Style. Most artists do not earn as much as the people that deliver their mail, take out their trash or unstop their toilets.

Artists utilize many strategies for getting by. The best off all is the wise hereditary gambit: selecting wealthy parents. As alluring as this approach is, it is mostly adopted by gallery owners, not artists.

The marriage strategy is very popular. Even though our society is becoming less sexist, wedding someone with a steady job is still mostly a feminine prerogative. One full time, male painter recently told me that where ever you find someone doing what they want, someone else is paying the price. He was referring to his hardworking, understanding wife.

The most common job for artists is teaching. This seems a great solution. There is much to be said for a steady pay check, health care and pension plans. However, this largess often comes at a great cost. Instead of seeing teaching as a roundabout but welcome form of subsidization of the arts, many art teachers get involved with their task and at the end of the day have been drained by their students. I have found over the years that the artists that teach tend to mature creatively more slowly than full time artists. It is difficult to sustain creative momentum painting mostly during long weekends and summers.

Many artists are able to find art related jobs; framing, delivering art, working as gallery assistants or doing installation work for museums. Other options are dog walker, waitress, taxi driver, translator, book editor, blood donor, carpenter… the list is endless.

The last time I met a painter paying his own health insurance, college tuition for two children, maintaining mortgage payments and driving a late model car, he was two days late painting my kitchen.

SSSh!

 Welcome

to the Rosenfeld Gallery Blog. This space will be used to post gallery news  and to express my opinions about art related issues.

Background:

Portrait of the artist, 1889

Ever since I realized that I lacked the true creative drive I have been fascinated by the blessing (curse?) of creativity in others. For several decades I have been reading about the creative act in all fields and my position as art dealer has given me the privilege of interacting closely with dedicated, actively creative people of all sorts. I have been close witness to the creative development of hundreds of artists, some for as long as thirty-five years. Being afforded this close-up, intimate view has been immensely gratifying and uniquely informative. What an education it has been, discussing working habits, scources of creativity and changing imagry over a protracted lenght of time! I love my job.

Dear Visitors,

I wanted to welcome you to our new wonderful website, which we’ve relaunched in an attempt to better highlight our artists and their work. I’ve also started a small blog, which I’ll use to help share interesting information about the gallery, its events, and what our artists are doing all around the world.

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