James Siena

Dieu Donné is pleased to announce an exhibition of new artwork in handmade paper by James Siena. Created in the Dieu Donné studio during the artist’s Lab Grant Program residency, unique sequential works and new editions will be on view in the gallery from May 10 to June 21, 2014. There will be an opening reception on Friday, May 10 from 6–8 pm, and the artist will be present.

In his regular artistic practice, Siena uses self-imposed “visual algorithms” to create imagery that intersects psychedelia, mathematics, doodles, intricate decorative art, and geometric abstraction. The artwork developed in the studio features series of arrows, circles, and blocks of color that refer to existing systems, like color theory charts. The artist aims to unpack the logic behind a system while still operating within its structure.

Working with Artistic Director Paul Wong, James Siena developed bodies of work that explore sequential, geometric forms while also embracing a sense of play and collaboration. The hard edges seen in his paintings and prints give way to feathery, halo-like edges that occur naturally in the process using stencils and linen pulp. The pigmented linen creates a luminosity or an aura that is unique to the medium. In Siena’s own words:

I like the tension between precision and accident…. It’s an inherent quality in papermaking that is utterly real.

A large scale work on view, Circle Sequence I - VII, is made up of seven unique panels of opaque pigmented linen stenciled onto translucent abaca that develop a composition moving from minimal (one single large red circle) to complex (11 circles of various colors and sizes). Siena originally explored circular forms in the early 1990s with computer software, and only recently began making full scale works using this modality.

Another piece is composed of a red arrow pointing to the right, a yellow arrow pointing towards the left, and a black arrow pointing to the right again. Humorously titled Three Directions (though in fact only depicting two directions), it calls on universally accepted signifiers, such as directional arrows and colors used in traffic signs, but operates as work of art with a balanced composition. Also on view will be three groups of works that explore the logic of color theory and flow charts with blocks of solid colors and black arrows.

A full color Lab Grant Publication will be produced on the occasion of this exhibition, featuring an essay by Armin Kunz, art historian and managing partner of C.G. Boerner.

About the artist:

James Siena is widely known for his abstract compositions, which are rendered by hand in painting, drawing and printmaking. The artist’s unique process involves using geometric abstractions systematically according to procedures he defines. His work is included in many public and private collections such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among others. James Siena has participated in over 100 solo and group exhibitions since 1981, and has been represented by The Pace Gallery since 2004.

About Dieu Donné:

Dieu Donné is a non-profit contemporary artist workspace dedicated to the creation, promotion, and preservation of new art made using hand papermaking techniques. The organization’s primary services and programs are devoted to working with mid-career and emerging artists through collaborative residency opportunities. The Dieu Donné gallery is open to the public Tuesday – Friday, 10 am – 6pm and Saturday 12 - 6pm or by appointment.