Press Release
October 14, 2003
Matthew Carone, a painter before
he became a legendary South Florida art dealer, will open
a one-person exhibition of his work at ArtSpace/Virginia Miller
Galleries from 7-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2nd, 2004.
Carone, a leading Ft. Lauderdale gallery
owner since 1959, continued his career as an artist during
the years he operated his gallery, painting at every opportunity.
The famous artists he represented—Roberto Matta, Conrad
Marca-Relli, James Brooks, Paul Jenkins, Wolf Kahn, among
others—found out indirectly that Carone also was an artist
of some repute. When they discovered their dealer was a serious
painter, the bond was complete. Carone formed lifetime friendships
with them.
His daily association with their work sometimes is reflected
in his own paintings, particularly that of Matta, whose interest
and criticism of Carone's paintings spanned a 40-year period
and was pivotal in the direction of his work, automaticism
and abstract surrealism.
“Art is a continuum,” Carone notes. “All
artists are inspired by their predecessors
to some degree. From the earliest wall paintings of Altamira
to the contemporary artists of today, all of that creative,
collective energy becomes a subconscious storehouse of creativity
waiting to be released by the muse of inspiration, allowing
us to contribute something unique.”
Carone was responsible for Matta's many
visits to South Florida, and on every visit, the Chilean
master asked to see Carone's work in his studio.
“Those were the most impressive times of my life,” Carone
says. “The dialogue was mind-boggling.”
When Carone mentioned that he was
color blind, Matta was astonished. “Really?” he asked. “Then more artists should
be color blind! Keep your focus—I can see how your work will
develop 10 years from now .”
“The artist's sheer energy is infectious,” notes Palm
Beach Post art critic Gary Schwan. “The pictures reveal
a spontaneity that recalls the automatic writing of the
surrealists. The figures radiate motion, tension and sexual
heat in contained spatial constructions.”
Born in New Jersey in 1930, Carone cites his sources of
inspiration as Matta, Hans Hoffman, Jackson Pollock, and
his brother, the noted painter Nicolas Carone.
Widely exhibited
since the mid-1950s, one-person exhibitions of his work have
been held in the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art; the Boca Raton
Museum of Art; Mercer University, Macon, Georgia; Galleria
Cesarea, Genoa, Italy; Palazzo Panni, Arco di Trento,
Italy; and other prestigious venues. In 2001 he was one
of 12 American artists exhibiting in the 23rd International
Festival of Painting at the Grimaldi Chateau-Musee, Cagnes-sur-Mer,
France.
His most recent solo exhibition was
held at Georgetown College in Georgetown , Kentucky , from
September 15th through October 31st. In her review of that
show, Stacey Stratman states that “Carone's style relies on spontaneous impulses.” She
then quotes the artist:
“I begin with shapes, forms and gestures that are completely
led by the subconscious—recognizing the image after the execution.
The first few days of work progresses this way, hopefully
discovering an image that can be captured, then fine-tuned.”
Located at 169 Madeira Avenue, ArtSpace/Virginia
Miller Galleries is Greater Miami's longest-established
fine art gallery. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday
through Friday and by appointment. “Matthew Carone: New
Work” will
be on exhibit until Jan. 27th. For details, call 305.444.4493.
top
|
