John Torreano: Dots, Gems, Stars | 1968 - 2023
From July 10 through August 20th, The Drawing Room in East Hampton is pleased to present the exhibition, "John Torreano: Dots, Gems, Stars 1968-2023." This is the gallery’s second solo presentation of the contemporary American artist who divides his time between studios in New York City and Sag Harbor.
The show traces salient throughlines in John Torreano's imagery across various mediums and over a period of more than 50 years. Works on view include vibrant abstractions from sketchbooks, large canvases articulated with acrylic paint and multicolored gems, faceted wall sculptures and paintings on paper inspired by jewels and galaxies. From seminal preliminary studies created in the 1960s to recently completed 60 x 60 inch tour de force compositions, the selection offers a fresh perspective on the artist’s engagement with the aesthetic possibilities of painterly representation. Most of the works on view are being exhibited for the first time.
Torreano first established a strong connection to Long Island’s East End in the 1960s, following his move to New York City as an emerging artist with an MFA from Ohio State University. His 1969 residency at the Edward F. Albee Foundation in Montauk sparked an immediate affinity for Atlantic beaches, a feeling he has attributed to associations with his childhood explorations of the lakes and rivers of Michigan.
See below for full press release and selected works.
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John TorreanoInside Gem, 1984acrylic, pencil, charcoal on paper29 1/2 x 41 inches
34 1/2 x 46 inches framed -
John TorreanoTri-globe - Citron, 2003Signed and dated on bottom facetglass11 1/2 x 14 x 14 inches
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John TorreanoUltra-Deep Field 1, 2023Signed and dated versocharcoal, acrylic, and gems on canvas60 x 60 inches
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John TorreanoA Gold Tear for the Wall, 1996-2023Gold leaf on plywood22 x 11 x 9 1/2 inches
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John TorreanoSketch for Blue Bulge, 1968initialed and dated lower leftacrylic and pencil on paper12 x 18 inches
13 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches framed -
John TorreanoGem Star Scape, 1996acrylic and pencil on paper26 x 39 1/2 inches each
26 x 79 inches overall -
John TorreanoGem Wave, 1998acrylic and pencil on paper26 x 39 7/8 inches each
26 x 80 inches overall -
John TorreanoCosmic Ornament 3, 2021Signed, titled and dated lower rightacrylic on paper22 5/8 x 30 1/8 inches
26 3/4 x 34 1/4 inches framed