NEW YORK CITY–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Summer Collective 2023
17 July through 03 September

HUGO GALERIE is pleased to present the Summer Collective 2023 group exhibition introducing Paul Balmer alongside some of our most recognized artists.

Featuring: Paul Balmer, Beth Carter, Jeśus Curiá, Nicolas De la Hoz, Raul Diaz, Stéphane Erouane Dumas, Quentin Garel, Chizuru Morii Kaplan, Lucy MacGillis, Carlos Mata, Patrick Pietropoli, Pierre-Luc Poujol, Daniel Raynott, Xavier Rodés, Martin Spei

Paul Balmer, of South Africa, continues his deep exploration of cityscapes. He captures New York City’s iconic skyscrapers and their surrounding cast of supporting structures with improvisational linework, vivid colors, and raw surfaces. Though Balmer’s paintings are full of action, their tone is often tranquil.

Beth Carter is an artist based in Bristol, UK. She has studied sculptural mythology and methodology in Gambia, India, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. Carter’s practice often morphs the human figure and animal, creating totemic creatures and extraordinary compositions. Carter’s sculptures signify self-reflection and introspection while embodying the belief that to understand the light, we must also sit in darkness.

Jesús Curiá captures the essence of the human being. Curiá, who hails from Madrid, blends figurative elements with abstract bodies in an attempt to express tradition, modernity, and culture: themes that are foundational to his artistic approach. His characters, which are somehow both ancient and futuristic, reflect the artist’s ideas and emotions toward the contemporary world. His figures instill ambiguity; the facial features are neither Western nor non-western, male nor female.

Nicolas De la Hoz’s paintings reveal his innate interest in the oneiric process and the unconscious world. De la Hoz, who is of Colombian descent, is largely inspired by the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung. De la Hoz believes in the existence of parallel dimensions, suggesting an unexplainable interaction of realities that proves the possibility of their coexistence.

Raul Diaz began his career in architecture but could not avoid the overwhelming call within himself to become an artist. Born in Argentina, Diaz’s construction of human figures is forged from an ethereal conception rather than a naturalistic representation of the human form. The characters that appear in his works are planar, out-of-scale silhouettes that are often seen from behind in unrealistic positions and postures.

Stéphane Erouane Dumas trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. Dumas uses oil paint on paper or canvas to reveal his vision of nature and its immensity. Oscillating between the boundaries of figurative and abstract, his energy-filled works reflect cool-toned Nordic landscapes that are both serene and intricate.

Quentin Garel is an internationally renowned French sculptor and draftsman known for his bronze animal sculptures that resemble wood. His works are first conceptualized in intricate charcoal drawings, which he then translates into wooden sculptures.

Chizuru Morii Kaplan is a Japanese-born and New York-based painter who studied architectural and interior design in Tokyo. Working with watercolor, Kaplan paints from dark to light with not a hard edge in sight. Kaplan’s surprisingly detailed architectural paintings depict global landmarks, such as The Louvre.

Lucy MacGillis is fueled by Italian light. After studying domestically and internationally at prestigious schools under renowned artists such as Nicolas Carone, MacGillis settled in Italy’s Umbria and has been painting her bucolic surroundings ever since. Canvases with decisive brushstrokes in curated palettes come alive with the juxtaposition of sun and shadow across their surfaces.

Carlos Mata’s sculptures are built on the memories of his childhood landscape in Palma, Spain. His pieces are crafted to recreate the original image he could see as a child: dark profiles, reduced to their essential outlines. The shapes represent ancient cultures with depictions of horses and bulls resembling cave paintings to capture the mystery of prehistoric art.

Patrick Pietropoli was a teacher of political studies before becoming a professional artist in France who is trained in both painting and sculpture. His linen-based oil paintings have both an antique undertone and a contemporary freeness. He is most notable for his extremely detailed, large-scale cityscapes of New York, Paris, Rome, and Venice.

Pierre-Luc Poujol is a leading figure in the contemporary art scene thanks to his unique artistic aesthetic of vivid colors and his techniques of projection and dripping. Born in France, he is proud to be a part of abstract expressionism and the American lyrical abstraction movement. The most compelling element of Poujol’s work is the energy he imbues in each piece by way of vibrant color.

Daniel Raynott produces colorful nostalgia by creating canvases tinged with optimism. The French artist worked as a graphic designer in the 1980s and collaborated with various French magazines. Raynott’s paintings demonstrate his professional influence with precise lines, bright light, and saturated colors. His preferred subjects are sleek villas, modern architecture, and serene swimming pools.

Xavier Rodés’ ground-breaking treatment of light and precise drawing was refined to his distinctive and unique style in Barcelona, Spain. Despite being a figurative artist, his paintings suggest non-conventional ideas, as he focuses on the composition and the chromatic harmony rather than pure description.

Martin Spei’s work expresses his desire to understand why and how people do the work they do. He focuses on the figure to permit immediate access to both interpretation and connection. Spei is drawn to images of business and politics as he explores the human reaction to these forces. He aims to capture the context of societal norms while
portraying the inner dialogue of the individual, striving to share the humorous irony in simultaneous connection and isolation.

HUGO GALERIE is a fine art gallery in New York City specializing in contemporary figurative painting and sculpture. The gallery represents an international roster of artists working in a variety of media and range of genres. Please direct inquiries to info@hugogalerie.com.

Paul Balmer, Summer Sunset, oil on canvas, 36″ x 36″ (91.4 x 91.4cm)
Jésus Curiá, Mujer Sentada, bronze and marble, 34 ¼ x 16 ½ x 14 ¼ (86.36 x 40.64 x 35.56cm)
Nicolas De la Hoz, Nativity, oil and acrylic on canvas, 32” x 36” (81.28 x 91.44cm)
Carlos Mata, Toro Fegeo, bronze, 75 ½” x 51” x 4 ½” (190.5 x 129.54 x 10.2cm)

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