"Memorial" Show and "Gerard Barbot: Small Sculpture & Assemblage"

[text=center]"MEMORIAL"
Artworks by Estelle Levy & Fernand Barbot
Music by Elodie Lauten
Saturday, September 6th - Sunday, September 28th, 2014
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 6th, 4-6pm
Curated by Yuko Nii
In the Main Gallery[/text]

The WAH Center is pleased to present "Memorial" honoring our beloved artists - Estelle Levy, Fernand Barbot, and Elodie Lauten - who have passed away recently. During the fine arts show, the music of Elodie Lauten will be heard. Also featuring works by friends of Estelle Levy including: Linda Butti; Helen Henry; Kenol Lamour; Gabe Turow; and Barbara Schiller.

Though Estelle Levy and Fernand Barbot were from totally different cultural backgrounds - Estelle was a female American ceramic artist while Fernand was a male painter born in France - they both shared similarities in age and the late start of their art careers. Whereas Estelle referred to herself as a “self-employed artist,” and Fernand called himself a “self-taught artist,” both found unique visual languages to express their inner vision in both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works. With strong personalities and distinctive characters, hard-working and strong-willed natures, Estelle and Fernand were both kind and sincere, full of wit and wisdom, which they shared with other artists and fellow citizens.

A French-American “avant-garde” composer, Elodie Lauten’s fresh and innovative musical language is a unique combination of Western and Asian music. She introduced us to a new universal musical language. Elodie performed at the WAH Center several times in the past. With each performance she demonstrated new sounds and tones that provoked all five senses - her music resonates in our minds and hearts, and will stay with us for a long time.

All three of our dear friends made our lives more interesting, colorful, and meaningful. Their presence will be missed, but their art lives on.


[text=center]In the Small Gallery:
Gerald Barbot – Small Sculpture/Assemblage[/text]

Gerard Barbot:
Son of Fernand Barbot, Gerard Barbot was born in Paris, and when he was 5 years old, his parents emigrated to the USA. He now lives in Brooklyn, NY. His childhood was filled with the spirit of adventure and the need to satisfy a curious mind and that led him to the wonder of books, travel and art. His creative activity at a young age was to make collage in order to document and express experiences so that he could visualize his thoughts, aesthetics, emotions, influences and ideas. While working in the building trade industry, he was fascinated by the mesmerizing pyrotechnics of welding, and he was inspired to use a melange of materials and assorted means of construction to create found object sculpture known as assemblage. Gerard has participated in many exhibitions around the world, and his artwork is in private collections. He continues to challenge himself by collaborating with other artists and working in different mediums. He repurposes, recycles and transforms abandoned artifacts and discarded detritus. He invites the viewers to see ordinary objects in unexpected ways.


"This 'Memorial' show will fulfill the WAH Center's "Bridge Concept" mission by bridging man and woman, young and old, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works, American and French artists, and fine art with performing art."