“Monochrome,” will feature the latest collection of Norlie Meimban’s art. The upcoming exhibit will give viewers a chance to relish in his talent in realism while exploring new sides to his classic works.
As the name suggests, the 14 piece collection will spotlight Norlie’s work in monochrome. Exploring the depth in neutral pairs of gold and mahogany then black and while, the paintings are given a quality that draws his audience in not just by the subject that it presents but also because of the brilliant study of shading and color. Inspired by his personal favorite, Rembrandt, he injects his paintings with brown background, to echo the popular color of the masters of the Reneassiance. Being inclined to realism, the subject of his painting is given to natural lighting, they are a very real part of their surrounding instead of being overemphasized by brighter shades.
Playing up the realism of each subject, every painting serves as window into a moment in time, and it is that intimate moment that Norlie brings to us through his canvas. Whether it is a tender moment between a mother and a child, the silent meditation of a ballerina or the marriage between a musician and his music, we are given an up close view of these simple joys to appreciate and admire.
Another feature of the upcoming exhibit will be Norlie’s unique take on two dimensional movement as he applies animated qualities to the subjects within the portrait. A clever merging of his skill as an animator and as a painter.
“When love was born,” is an example of such a painting, as we are given this picture of a mother and child in shades of autumn, the emphasis on the humanity and warmth of maternal love is so strong that one cannot help but feel as an intruder to their special memory. “ Sitting ballerina,” is a stunning portrait of the grace that a dancer exudes, even off the stage.
“The Butterfly,” is an image that one will not easily forget. Set in black and white, the twist to the painting includes the stunning and seductive red cloth in the middle that breaks the monotony, sprinkling character to the painting. Radiating an aura of mystery, the painting holds an almost other-worldly beauty that’s hard to resist.
Each piece holds a special quality to it, not only for the meticulous brushstrokes employed to put the image together, but also for the story in each image. Catch Monochrome at the Rico Renzo gallery this June 25, and see for yourself.