One of the city’s newest and most celebrated galleries is gearing up for an exhibit that features the latest work by Amanda Besl. There is nothing “still” about Besl’s elaborate still lives. Instead, the oil paintings come to life in an antiquated dreamscape that is a kaleidoscope of twists and flowing wisps, the light generated by the artist’s hand illuminating features that would normally be considered mundane. It can be difficult to pick apart and identify any one focal point, as the eye gets lost in a tangle of gold laced, Rococo and Greek mythology inspired, hair and flora.
“A woman constructs her identity with her hair, a medium that is so personal that it contains life’s DNA. It is coveted and yet also repulsive. I explore these disembodied tresses which act as a very personal iconography.” – Amanda Besl
Amanda Besl | Psyche’s Knot @ BT&C Gallery
September 18th – November 1st, 2014
Opening reception: Thursday, September 18th | 6:30-9:30pm
BT&C | Body of Trade & Commerce Gallery
btandcgallery.com |1250 Niagara Street, Buffalo 14213 | 716.604.6183
*Besl has shown widely in both Western New York and New York City, and in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Russia. Besl holds an MFA in Painting from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI and a BFA from SUNY Oswego. Her painting is part of several notable private and public collections including the Burchfield Penney Art Center; Nichido Contemporary, Tokyo, Japan; the Burger Collection, Hong Kong and the Tullman Collection, Chicago.