The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents Linda Fantuzzo: Penumbra, a new exhibition by artist Linda Fantuzzo, on view at City Gallery January 18 through March 1, 2020. A reception for the artist will take place on January 17 from 5 to 7 p.m., and an artist’s talk will be held on Saturday, February 1 at 2 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
Fantuzzo is known for capturing the mysterious qualities of light on canvas and has utilized this throughout her career to create atmosphere, mood and narrative. The more than fifty landscape and interior paintings and large-format drawings in this exhibition are rendered with a quiet, abstracted simplicity, while the inclusion of stairs, ladders, windows and doors suggest an unseen yet palpable human presence. The title Penumbra is a term referencing light’s transitions. The artist states: “Light - bright, low, or poetic can imbue the image with a sense that something has happened or will momentarily occur.” In these works, Fantuzzo connects the literal transitions of light, always shifting and changing, to the metaphorical transitions and impermanence of the human experience.
As an additional component to the project, the artist is collaborating with the Long Table Poets of Charleston, SC, for inclusion of new poetry in the exhibition. Fantuzzo invited the poets to join her in an ekphrasis project. Meaning “description” in Greek, an ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning. There will be two poetry readings featuring the participating poets during the running of the exhibition, on Thursday, January 23 from 7 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, February 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. Both events are free. The exhibition Linda Fantuzzo: Penumbra will also be on view at The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA from May 23 to August 16, 2020.
About Linda Fantuzzo: Linda Fantuzzo grew up in Endicott, NY and studied painting at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout her career and is represented in the collections of the Greenville County Museum of Art, the Gibbes Museum of Art, the Burroughs Chapin Art Museum and additional public, corporate and private collections throughout the U.S. Over the years, she has been involved in numerous projects in the Charleston arts community and has received multiple grants and awards, including the SC Arts Commission visual arts fellowship in 2017.
About City Gallery: City Gallery, located at Joe Riley Waterfront Park, is owned by the City of Charleston and operated by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, presenting an annual program of exhibitions and events featuring the finest contemporary art from local, regional, national and international artists, with a focus on the Lowcountry. City Gallery provides access to the visual arts for everyone in Charleston, visitors and residents alike, by offering exhibits that are all admission-free. City Gallery is located at 34 Prioleau St. in downtown Charleston, and gallery hours of operation are 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday as well as 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information and holiday closures, visit www.charleston-sc.gov/citygallery or call 843-958-6484.