Beyond/In: A.J. Fries & Ani Hoover Studio

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Aug 27th 2007, 5:00pm By Cynnie Gaasch

Buffalo Rising is taking the opportunity of the Beyond/In Western New York exhibition, an event that brings twelve Buffalo Niagara region art spaces together to show the work of fifty artists who live and work within the Great Lakes region, to showcase Buffalo artists. We are visiting artist’s studios to learn about their working process, their art, their studios, and how they live and work in Buffalo.

In this episode, we visit the studio of A.J Fries and Ani Hoover in the Seneca Building, in South Buffalo, around the corner from the Larkin Building. This massive structure is the home to a number of artists’ studios, nestled between various small factories. The two artists moved into this studio a year ago, but have known each other for about five years. When interviewing them together, I was struck by their thoughtful consideration of each other’s work so that is what we feature here.

Fries will be showing his work at the Castellani Art Museum in Niagara Falls as a part of the Beyond/ In WNY exhibit. The work he is showing marks a significant change from colorful pop images, to more meditative black and white paintings of moments he has captured on his digital camera. Fries admits he is color blind, so the change in his work isn’t only about the subject matter, but a move to have more control over his entire process.

Hoover has made five giant paintings for her part in the show at the Albright Knox Art Gallery (all 15 feet tall). She also shows 80 tiny paintings. All using the same language of circles, drips, lines and blurs, to make an evocative group of works that defy gravity despite their strong vertical presence. Hoover was delivering her work to the Albright Knox on the day of the visit; so only one painting was still hanging. The Albright Knox exhibition opened earlier this month.

Openings for the twelve venues will take place on the weekend of September 14-16.

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