Massapequa’s Studio 5404 had another terrific opening, featuring local artists and had a special guest visitor, Farhan Ali from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ali came to see the show and critique the artist’s work. Lori Horowitz, artist and owner of the studio was pleased with the turnout and the recognition from Ali.
“This show is called the affordable art show and it is actually a takeoff of the affordable art fair that is run in New York City,” said Horowitz. “I thought it would be a nice idea to get more artwork in that is more on the affordable side without sacrificing the quality of the art itself. There are 11 artists in the show and they are all equally talented and they dedicate their lives to pursuing art.”
The studio, which opened a year and a half ago, has featured artists from Manhattan to Montauk with nine stellar shows.
“The shows are growing in popularity which is more of what we want,” said Horowitz “The community is more aware of what we are doing and is very interested.”
Making his way around the studio and visiting with the artists Ali, who is the collection information analyst for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), admired the work in the studio.
“I think what Lori is trying to do is bring new artists and new ideas and a lot of these artists are 10-20 years ahead of their time,” said Ali. “I think slowly and surely, we will have all people appreciate the in-depth art, which not just represents this time but also the future of civilizations moving forward.”
Ali added that the space was not only beautiful, but ample in size while at the same time remaining cozy enough for people to enjoy the show. He was especially taken with Massapequa artist Yvonne Dagger’s work, who had six pieces of fused sea glass in shadow boxes. Two of the pieces sold that night.
“This is my collection of glass works, which is a combination of found objects and sea glass found all along the south shore beaches,” said Dagger of her work. “The glass is fused, combining the old and the new together, which is pretty unique and I don’t think it’s been done before. I created squares of fused glass, which I fired and cut in a kiln and I adhered the sea glass to the pieces,” she continued, adding that everything is raised and housed in a shadow box for display.
Ali was quite taken by Dagger’s work as he admired one of shadow boxes called “Past and Present,” which sold.
“Each piece of sea glass has a story all of its own and by the same token the new fused glass does too,” said Ali. “Here you have nature and nurture working together to create one piece similar in a way to all creation. The old and the new coexisting in one world, in this case housed in a shadow box on a gallery wall for all to see. A work that has taken time to create, perhaps even 200 years.”
Old Bethage artist Lisa Petker-Mintz, a graduate of Parsons The New School for Design, has been painting for more than 25 years but was first inspired by Borella Park in Plainview where her two daughters played as children.
“This playground was stunning, I fell in love with the structures and the way the sun lit up the floor. I would go there with them, but I didn’t want to embarrass my daughters so when they were all in school I would go back to the park with my sketch book and camera. I would sit on the floor and trace all of the shadows and bring all of that back into the studio. My work is about a sense of play. It’s about joy and love.”
Vietnam Veteran Neil Leinwohl of Rockville Centre, who witnessed the horrors of war as an army photographer and parrot trouper, as well as the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, expressed his feelings in several of his art pieces. One of them was called Water Buffalo, which showed a depiction of a time line.
“When I was in Vietnam, I was saw this water buffalo. He started walking towards me, then started running towards me. I was going to shoot him but then a jeep came up and I hopped in. He would have killed me.”
Leinwohl has been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years, which has affected his walking and vision. In all of his pieces he draws the MS icon at the bottom of each piece.
The evening was filled with energy from the artists and patrons. Horowitz was pleased with the event and also expressed her deepest appreciation of Ali’s visit.
“People like Farhan Ali are a rare gift: his generosity and insightful critiques shared with the artists, visitors as well as myself were so positive and encouraging,” she said. “Having the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s endorsement and support as represented by Mr. Ali gives Studio 5404 the validation of being an important new venue for innovative arts on Long Island.”
