Being Here – Marcie Jan Bronstein

August 4 – December 23, 2020

Being Here features a stunning selection of recent watercolor compositions by Maine-based artist Marcie Jan Bronstein.  In this exhibition, Bronstein beautifully harnesses the unique qualities of watercolor, often thought of as a unforgiving medium that doesn’t lend itself to revisionist impulses, in images that are both subtle in one instance, and bold in another.

A focal point of the exhibition is a dramatic grid of nine works titled Oasis. Marks that suggest ropes or swaged transparent drapery inhabit these works. In these works, one may also see subtle references to architecture, such as seemingly stylized stairways and open portals of expansive light. Seen as a unit or as individual panels, the calming monochromatic colors employed in Oasis–ranging from pale blues, lavender, and buttery yellow—invite multiple interpretations for viewers.

In other compositions, Bronstein depicts crystalline forms as if the objects are mutating under a microscopic lens.  One also sees the artist’s web-like strands that reference occurrences at the cellular level or stretched ovoid forms that are reminiscent of polished beach rocks, potatoes, or pill-like capsules.  Through Bronstein’s varied marks, blooms of transparent watercolor, and enigmatic forms, she creates rich opportunities for reflection and interpretation.

 

       

(L-R)

MARCIE JAN BRONSTEIN (American, born 1965). The Force of Friendship, 2018. Watercolor on paper. Courtesy of the artist.

MARCIE JAN BRONSTEIN (American, born 1965). Being Here, How It Feels, 2018. Watercolor on paper. Courtesy of the artist.