PRESS RELEASE                                                                                                             Feb. 27, 2009

ANNOUNCING :                                                                                            

 “LARGE GESTURES” 

An exhibition of  large “cut-outs”, wall hangings, and prints on canvas by Ed Davin. 

At the Art Lab Gallery 

Snug Harbor Cultural Center

1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY

April 4^th – April 26^th, 2009................Opening Reception:  Saturday April 4^th, 2PM- 4PM

Artist”s Statement :

        This exhibition will feature primarily large wall pieces made of shaped plywood, painted

with acrylic colors.  The imagery of  these pieces is influenced by several sources.  One source is the

humorous line work in comics and cartoons.  One premise is that forms themselves can be humorous,

in an abstract way, without direct reference to the anecdotal details of “real” objects.  In fact, one of

the characteristics of the shapes and forms in these  pieces is that, although each piece has a dominant

“gesture,” parts can suggest to the viewer, any number of familiar objects....human figures, animals,

plants, clouds, faces, feet, etc.  

       Other sources for the style and technique used in these images are the art of various cultures.

Calligraphy, the way the hand shapes a line, has been a inspiration to me.  Chinese and 

Japanese  writing, and painting are great examples of calligraphic excellence.  Imagery from the arts of

India, Africa, Mexico, and many other countries of Asia and the Americas also inspire  by their

inventive use of cartoon-like simplification of forms.

       The show also includes wall hangings  and prints on canvas.  Both of these media are printed

by inkjet printers, using  archival inks.  The subject matter in these works are variations of the 

style and imagery in the larger  “cut- outs.”