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Brett Bigbee - Recent Work - Exhibitions - Alexandre Gallery

Abby, 2005-2010, oil on linen, 70 1/32 x 53 7/8 inches

Brett Bigbee
Recent Work
October 20 – December 17, 2011

The gallery will present an overview of Brett Bigbee’s (b. 1954) recent paintings and drawings completed during the past ten years. Included will be three large-scale figurative oil paintings, small-scale still-life paintings and related drawings, both developmental and fully realized. His most recent painting, Abby (2005 – 2010), depicts a pre-teen girl clad in a brightly-colored flowered swimsuit emerging from a landscape of dirt and leafy groundcover. The exhibition will include loans from private and museum collections and will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with text by John Yau.

Bigbee’s highly detailed and refined realism results in works of arresting psychological intensity and sensitivity that break free of the clichés and sentimentality too often associated with the genre. Yau writes: “Working on a painting, often for years, Bigbee always places his labor-intensive process at the service of the particularizing expression, at once direct and elusive, relaxed and introspective, open to the world and yet separate from it.” And speaking to the near metaphysical effect, Yau continues: “Stillness and change lie at the heart of the artist’s portraits: the aching desire to slow down time is spelled out in carefully effaced brushstrokes, which literally and figuratively caress each surface and trace each contour. Bigbee’s labor – an act of devotion – is essential to the meaning of his work.”

This exhibition marks the first New York showing of the Bigbee’s work since 2003.

Installations

Installations Thumbnails
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with a painting hanging over a wood table and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall to the right
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with three framed works hanging on the walls and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall in the center
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with four framed works hanging on the walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed painting hanging on the wall to the right, and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall to the left
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed painting hanging on the wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed drawing and one framed painting hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one small framed drawing and one small framed painting hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting, a smaller framed painting, and three framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with two large framed paintings, a large framed drawing and a small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one large framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with three framed paintings and two small framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition, with a large framed painting, a large framed drawing, and two small framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting, a large framed drawing, and two smaller framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with two large framed paintings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with a framed painting and a small framed drawing hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one small framed drawing a one small framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one small framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with two small framed drawings hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed drawing and one smaller framed drawing hanging on a wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with three small framed paintings hanging on a wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with a painting hanging over a wood table and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall to the right
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with three framed works hanging on the walls and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall in the center
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with four framed works hanging on the walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed painting hanging on the wall to the right, and wall text that reads "Brett Bigbee: Recent Work" on the wall to the left
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed painting hanging on the wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed drawing and one framed painting hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one small framed drawing and one small framed painting hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a grey wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting, a smaller framed painting, and three framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with two large framed paintings, a large framed drawing and a small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one large framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with three framed paintings and two small framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition, with a large framed painting, a large framed drawing, and two small framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting, a large framed drawing, and two smaller framed drawings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with two large framed paintings hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with a framed painting and a small framed drawing hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with two small framed paintings hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with one small framed drawing a one small framed painting hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one small framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a corner view of an exhibition space, with one large framed painting and one small framed drawing hanging on white walls
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition space, with two small framed drawings hanging on a white wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with one framed drawing and one smaller framed drawing hanging on a wall
Photograph showing a view of an exhibition, with three small framed paintings hanging on a wall

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Painting of a patch of dark soil, with stones, grasses, weeds, and a single white flower near the center

Dark Earth, 2010-2011, oil on linen, 9 1/16 x 12/18

Inquire
Still life painting of a basket of yellow-green apples on a brown table against a dark black background, with one apple and two cherries sitting on the surface of the table

Apples and Cherries, 2004, oil on canvas, 11 11/16 x 12 5/16 inches

Inquire
Still life painting of three yellow apples sitting on a grey table, with a cutting from a tree sitting in a glass of water behind them

Three Apples, 1999-2003, oil on canvas, 11 3/4 x 13 5/16 inches

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Still life painting of a leafy green plant in a blue vase, with three tomatoes on the table to the left and a pear and leaf on the table to the right

Still Life, 1999, oil on linen, 11 9/16 x 13/16 inches

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Painting of a branch of a quince tree, with six quince growing from the branch surrounded by thick leaves

Quince, 2000-2001, oil on canvas, 14 1/4 x 17 1/4 inches

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Graphite still life drawing of a wire basket filled with apples, leaves, and a stem of currants on a table

Apples And Cherries, 2004, graphite on paper, 12 1/4 x 12 3/4 inches

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Painting of a seated woman in a red dress holding an infant, who is standing on a stool in front of her, with an interior space and open window in the background

James, 1999-2001, oil on canvas, 47 3/4 x 22 1/2 inches

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Portrait of a woman from the chest up with a seascape in the background

Portrait of Ann, 2004-2008, oil on linen, 18 1/8 x 14 1/8 inches

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Graphite drawing of the head of a woman, with her hair dissolving into the grey background

Portrait of Ann, Third, 2007, graphite on paper, 9 7/16 x 7 7/16 inches

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Graphite portrait of a woman from the chest up, against a dark background

Portrait of Ann, Second, 2007, graphite on paper, 17 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches

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Portrait of a young girl in a flowered bathing suit standing in a dark landscape, with a purple ball on the ground to her left

Abby, 2005-2010, oil on linen, 70 1/32 x 53 7/8 inches 

Inquire
Graphite portrait of a young girl from the shoulders up

Abby, 2004, graphite on paper, 11 1/2 x 8 inches

Inquire
Graphite drawing of the torso of a young girl against a white background, with the head and hands unshaded

Abby (Torso Study), 2007, graphite on paper, 25 x 19 inches

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Painting of two young boys in bathing suits, standing in the sand with the ocean and a blue sky in the background

Joe and James, 2002-2004, oil on linen, 64 3/8 x 49 1/4 inches

Inquire
Graphite portrait of a young boy from the neck up, with his hair dissolving into the background

Study for James, 2000, graphite on paper, 9 1/2 x 11 inches

Inquire
Graphite drawing of two young boys wearing bathing suits

Joe and James, 2001-2003, graphite on paper, 60 x 50 inches

Inquire
Painting of a patch of dark soil, with stones, grasses, weeds, and a single white flower near the center

Dark Earth, 2010-2011, oil on linen, 9 1/16 x 12/18

Still life painting of a basket of yellow-green apples on a brown table against a dark black background, with one apple and two cherries sitting on the surface of the table

Apples and Cherries, 2004, oil on canvas, 11 11/16 x 12 5/16 inches

Still life painting of three yellow apples sitting on a grey table, with a cutting from a tree sitting in a glass of water behind them

Three Apples, 1999-2003, oil on canvas, 11 3/4 x 13 5/16 inches

Still life painting of a leafy green plant in a blue vase, with three tomatoes on the table to the left and a pear and leaf on the table to the right

Still Life, 1999, oil on linen, 11 9/16 x 13/16 inches

Painting of a branch of a quince tree, with six quince growing from the branch surrounded by thick leaves

Quince, 2000-2001, oil on canvas, 14 1/4 x 17 1/4 inches

Graphite still life drawing of a wire basket filled with apples, leaves, and a stem of currants on a table

Apples And Cherries, 2004, graphite on paper, 12 1/4 x 12 3/4 inches

Painting of a seated woman in a red dress holding an infant, who is standing on a stool in front of her, with an interior space and open window in the background

James, 1999-2001, oil on canvas, 47 3/4 x 22 1/2 inches

Portrait of a woman from the chest up with a seascape in the background

Portrait of Ann, 2004-2008, oil on linen, 18 1/8 x 14 1/8 inches

Graphite drawing of the head of a woman, with her hair dissolving into the grey background

Portrait of Ann, Third, 2007, graphite on paper, 9 7/16 x 7 7/16 inches

Graphite portrait of a woman from the chest up, against a dark background

Portrait of Ann, Second, 2007, graphite on paper, 17 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches

Portrait of a young girl in a flowered bathing suit standing in a dark landscape, with a purple ball on the ground to her left

Abby, 2005-2010, oil on linen, 70 1/32 x 53 7/8 inches 

Graphite portrait of a young girl from the shoulders up

Abby, 2004, graphite on paper, 11 1/2 x 8 inches

Graphite drawing of the torso of a young girl against a white background, with the head and hands unshaded

Abby (Torso Study), 2007, graphite on paper, 25 x 19 inches

Painting of two young boys in bathing suits, standing in the sand with the ocean and a blue sky in the background

Joe and James, 2002-2004, oil on linen, 64 3/8 x 49 1/4 inches

Graphite portrait of a young boy from the neck up, with his hair dissolving into the background

Study for James, 2000, graphite on paper, 9 1/2 x 11 inches

Graphite drawing of two young boys wearing bathing suits

Joe and James, 2001-2003, graphite on paper, 60 x 50 inches