The Teaching Gallery at Hudson Valley Community Collegepresents Floating World, an exhibition of paintings by New Lebanon artist Maggie Mailer, on view through October 22nd.
The paintings in Mailer’s Floating World are richly layered, ambiguous landscapes that bravely embody the artist’s willingness to trust her viewers. Mailer says the title refers to the “floating world” of 18th century Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, a worldview based on hedonism, pleasure and escapism. It was a world envisioned to be safe from danger, sadness or disasters, both real and imagined.
Mailer’s painting process is an intentionally unscientific combination of instinct, skill, accident and trust. Upon close inspection, any particular moment of a painting might contain layers of sheer, luscious color, references to classical masterworks, day-glow colors seemingly thrown down or scumbled, or thin layers that barely cover the canvas.
Maggie Mailer and Founding director of the Teaching Gallery Tara Fracalossi join us.
