Inge Strack is an abstract artist in the European tradition, who has
found, in America, the freedom and confidence to express a wide
emotional range, through paint.
Her artwork brings together two great traditions in the history of
contemporary abstraction.
First, stretching back to the first decades of the twentieth century,
in Munich, a brilliant circle of artists (the Blaue Reiter group) led
by Wassily Kandinsky, painted the first abstract pictures. Kandinsky
believed that color and form, together, without reference to things in
this world, could best convey the spiritual power of art.
After World War II, in New York, the powerful movement known as
Abstract Expressionism projected a new version of abstraction: A
painter's personal experience and unconscious were the central drivers of
artwork that could be angry (Jackson Pollack) or lyrical (Mark Rothko).
Interestingly, two of the most important teachers of this new approach
were German exiles: Josef Albers and Hans Hoffman who planted in the U.S.
bold ideas about color theory and non-figurative art.
As a native German who dedicated herself to fine art in Virginia, after
success in interior design, Inge Strack combines insight from two worlds:
She knows, and incorporates into her work, aspects of the cultural legacy of
European abstraction, while bringing to her paintings an American intensity,
spontaneity, and verve.
Strack's paintings have a clear resonance with German expressionism. Yet, a
close look at her work finds the raw nerve, and psychological impulse, of
American abstraction.
Having committed herself to painting full time in the fullness of life, Inge
Strack gives us work that embodies this wisdom: the most joyful expression
of life's promise is leavened with awareness of tragedy. Thus, does art
elevate.
Eleanor Kennelly
Washington DC
Eleanor Kennelly is an art critic based in Washington, DC who has written
for Art and Antiques, Art & Auction, ARTnews, and a variety of European
publications
Press
2009
Lithuania: "Varieties of Landscape: Viewing Virginia-area Artists
in Vilnius" Victor Gaetan brought five artists from Gallery A to Vilnius,
Lithuania where they exhibited in the prestigious ARKA Gallery. Posters for
the exhibit were hung around Vilnius. The U.S. Embassy sponsored a
catalogue.
Landscapes Variety exhibition of five Virginian (United States)
artists is opened at Arka, a capital city gallery. A rare opportunity to
learn about contemporary American art was granted by Alex, the largest
private Washington gallery.
Vilnius & Kaunas, Lithuania (May 2009) Kim Abraham, Gary Bowers, Judith Judy, David Goslin, Robert Vander Zee, and Inge
Strack
The exhibit was highlighted with a reception for the artists at the U.S.
Ambassador's Residence and with national TV coverage (see the video below)
as well as print coverage.
Mindaugas KLUSAS
Lietuvos Zinios
The space of the gallery Arka was decorated
by twenty five American paintings of Gary Bowers, Inge Strack, Judith Judy,
Kim Abrahamo and Rob Vander Zee. Victor Gaetan the owner of the gallery
established in 1985 at Dupont Circle the prestigious area of embassies and
museums has come at the moment to Lithuania. As it turns out, the
collaboration of Alex, Arka and Union of Lithuanian Painters is not coming
to end with the presentation of American exhibition.
At Washington of this year December, the art enthusiast and the gallerist
with great tender feelings to our country is about to introduce some
Lithuanian creators and their production to his compatriots.
The visitor at Vilnius admires the city architecture and its residents:
cleanliness of streets, nice looking people. The art expert declares the
Lithuanians remind him the people who came to the present right from
Renaissance epoch. He has already twice cancelled his flight back home and
is about to leave Lithuania only at the eighteenth of may after the
exhibition of landscapes is closed. V. Gaetan agreed to share his ideas with
LZ readers.
