Gems from the Last 30 Years | Von Lintel Gallery
John Chiara, Folsom at the Fremont (Variation A), 2013, Image on chromogenic paper, unique photograph, 34 x 28 in.
Written by Max Wiener
The Von Lintel Gallery is no stranger to the eyes of the photographic appreciator. The Los Angeles-based gallery, formerly of Munich and New York, has been home to some of the most stunning works in contemporary photography, painting, and other mediums. In Gems from the Past 30 Years, the Gallery pieces together some of its finest works from its impressive compendium and creates a stunning array of artisanry; it is an anthology for the ages. From Von Lintel newcomers to artists whose work has been featured with the gallery multiple times, the series surely inspires and shows the uniqueness and individuality of each artist. The series opened on December 9th and has a scheduled closing date of January 20th.
Carolyn Marks Blackwood Ice Cubism II, 2022, Archival Pigment Print, 23 x 30 in. Edition of 3.
Each of the works shown aligns with the core mission of the Von Lintel Gallery - “to quietly push the boundaries of medium and materiality, while upholding an enduring aesthetic tradition.” Each piece feels like it could be the focal point of an individual series, a true testament to the ability of each artist. A physical zoom-out in the gallery itself reveals a stunning array of color, spliced intermittently by gravitational black-and-white images. It’s a large-scale puzzle with each piece telling a unique story of the gallery’s timeline. No artist is upstaging one another, no individual piece gets the spotlight. Each piece speaks to one another in their own voice, and the collective choir shines like no other.
Accra Shepp, Leonardo, 2007, Silver gelatin emulsion on leaf mounted on paper, 28.5 x 19 in. unique.
Gems from the Past 30 Years is comforting in the way it shows the delightful evolution of art up until the present day. It shows progression, not digression, and each piece is a testament to Von Lintel’s incredible ability to cultivate tremendous depth on the gallery’s walls. They want to represent all voices in art, not just ones that will get clicks or rave reviews. Each of us has a voice that deserves to be heard, and looking at these works inspires us to speak our own truths.
Anthony Friedkin, Andrea in the Ocean, Santa Monica, California. 1980, Gelatin Silver Print, 16 x 20 in. Edition of 25.
The black and white photography truly grounds this whole series. Anthony Friedkin’s Andrea in the Ocean, Santa Monica, California is literally the splash of the real world we need during this series, allowing us the space to return to our raw, nubile form; it’s a tremendous emotional metaphor. We cleanse ourselves with this image before moving on to some of the more abstract pieces in the series, allowing us the time to soak everything in to the fullest extent. Not only is it one of the more powerful images in the exhibition, but one of the earliest, dating back to 1980. Looking back at the older pieces and piecing them with the new shows us that our minds are more creative than ever, and at the Von Lintel Gallery they will always have a place.
