Brisbane artist Kyra Cowan to Exhibit in NYC Art Show

Kyra Cowan mixes intimacy with mystery with her oil portraits painted on board. She depicts the human body with great detail and attention to texture, while omitting backgrounds altogether. Her subjects aren’t laden with defining characteristics on their clothes or hair; all personal information comes from their highly emotional expressions. Cowan’s portraits often confront the viewer with stares ranging from forceful to pleading, as if daring you to turn away while imploring you not to.

Though Cowan has painted a variety of subjects, including landscapes and images inspired by current events, her most frequent focus is the human face. Her depictions of close-up figures and bust-length portraits come from an unexpected source material: fashion photography. Cowan interprets models’ features, from glamorous to waif-like, into sensitive portraits that bring out more personality and atmosphere than a commercial photo would, while retaining the mystery that made these images fashionable in the first place. The balancing act is deceptively skillful.

Cowan was born in Nova Scotia, Canada and has lived in the San Francisco Bay area for several years, where she works in biotech. She is a self-taught artist.

Exhibition Dates: January 19, 2016 – February 9, 2016

Reception: Thursday January 21, 2016, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 11-6

Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, Chelsea, New York

Event URL: http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Kyra_Cowan.aspx

Featured Artists

Robert Lenz | Fahim Somani | Scott Forsyth | Frédéric Bruneau | Kyra Cowan | JR Rapier | Nancy McLean | Carmen Calvin | Filip Milosevic | KOLE | Sofya Tsvetikova

About the Exhibition

Telling Many Stories: Plurality of Expression

In the exhibition Plurality of Expression, eight artists draw from realism, surrealism, and complete abstraction to present exciting worlds of color, emotion, and passion. We see photographs alongside paintings, each of which tell a compelling story, each with deep emotional impact. Whether featuring figures, still lifes, surreal patterns, or landscapes, the artists have captured a distinct message in their composition, one that tells the impact of human life, interactions, and natural elements. Not only are the works passionate and expressive, they are undoubtedly extraordinary feats in aesthetic and color.

About Agora Gallery

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Chelsea’s fine art district in New York. Established in 1984, Agora Gallery specializes in connecting art dealers and collectors with national and international artists. The art gallery’s expert consultants are available to assist corporate and private clients in procuring original artwork to meet their organization’s specific needs and budget requirements. With a strong online presence and popular online gallery, ARTmine, coupled with the spacious and elegant physical gallery space, the work of our talented artists, who work in diverse media and styles, can receive the attention it deserves. Over the years Agora Gallery has sponsored and catered to special events aimed at fostering social awareness and promoting the use of art to help those in need.

Images:
Kyra Cowan, Beauty, Oil on Board, 48” x 36”
Kyra Cowan, Fierce!, Oil on Board, 48” x 36”
Kyra Cowan, Pink Lions, Oil on Board, 48” x 36”