New JoAnne Artman Gallery Show Begins May 9

Submitted by the JoAnne Artman Gallery:

LOST IN TRANSLATION
…When something is translated into another language…then translated back into the original language….and because of the differences between the languages, some of the original meaning is lost…This is definitely not the case with the spectacularly bold new works by Belgium-born artist Anja Van Herle and Spanish, Florida transplant Alberto Murillo...Though English is not their primary language, their art transcends all.

Born in Belgium in 1969, Anja Van Herle combines a European sense of high fashion in her artwork with an American sense of wonder. Her childhood years were devoted to exploring the fundamentals of her art using crayons, pencils and watercolors. In 1987, she enrolled in Belgium’s Higher Institute for Art Education where she earned a Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting. Anja now concentrates on figurative paintings that are inspired by both classic and contemporary fashion while exploring issues of identity, emotion and human interrelationships. As timelessly chic as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Anja’s women are playfully sexy, and their expressions and eyes tell stories that go far beyond the simple exhibition of fine fashion. In Anja’s masterful hands, fashion becomes alive. “These women—they feel.”

“My work is an attempt to capture the complexity of emotions that are conveyed in the human face. I’ve been painting portraits since I was a child, continually drawing closer to the face and eyes in order to explore the emotions they contain. There’s a story behind every face; my paintings are an attempt to tell these stories by capturing delicate facial expressions and juxtaposing them with vibrant color and the dramatic interplay of shadow and light that both inform my subjects and maintain their enigmatic aura. I’m constantly delighted by the various interpretations my work receives. For some, a subject may be pensive, while to others it may be seductive or confrontational. Part of the viewing experience is for a viewer to attach his or her own emotional meaning to a work,”-Anja Van Herle.

Artist Alberto Murillo, born in Madrid, Spain in 1974, says of his work: “This statement is not intended to be a conventional one by any means. Maybe it’s the language barrier or it could be I am just not good expressing myself in words. Perhaps that’s the main reason I am an Artist, so I could express my point of view in a more visual way. My latest collection is titled “Therapy”, because that is literally what my work has been for me for the last several months. It has taken me out of the dark. After having the most traumatic experience of my life at the end of last year, I felt lost and empty. Nothing was making any sense. During that incredibly hard time I remained calm, composed and strong. That was what my family needed. But after coming back to where I now call home, America, the loss and emptiness left its toll on me.... big time. For months I kept having the same nightmare. I could not work, or for that matter, function at all. The color in my work was gone. So, in a way, this new collection has saved me. It shows all I had inside and could not express in any other way. They are strong, soulful, colorful pieces. They are order in chaos. They are my most personal work ever, and on top of that I am having the time of my life."

 JoAnne Artman Gallery, Presents in the Main Gallery: “Lost in Translation” Showcasing Works by Belgium-Born Artist Anja Van Herle and Spanish Artist Alberto Murillo May 9, 2013 – June 30, 2013

Artist Reception: June 6, 2013 from 6-8pm to coincide with Laguna Beach ArtWalk. Please RSVP: 949.510.5481 by June 2, 2013.

JoAnne Artman Gallery
326 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 92651

Contact:  JoAnne Artman
Telephone:  949-510-5481
E-mail: joanneartman@aol.com
Web site: www.joanneartmangallery.com
Open Wed-Sunday, 11-5 & by appointment; First Thursday of every month 6-9pm