Fernando's work, of course, I know and love. This show focuses on his paintings and it's great to get to see his large works in the setting Nieto has launched in. In my view, his figurative nudes drive the "kinesis" of the show. Non-representational abstract work can be difficult to discuss, but a couple of Peggy Gyulai's pieces had that incalculable mix of color, texture, and balance that hit the spot. Eric Bailey's series was a joy to discover: at first, the formal composition of many of his works gives you the immediate impression of a Renaissance painting. The details, however, piece together a story of the sugary-sweet modern world juxtaposed against natural elements. I love how the notion of high/low culture permeates the collection, but without being vulgar.
The show will be up until December 11. Here are a couple pictures to give you the visual flavor:
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| Nieto Fine Art's grand new space on Sutter |
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| This painting by Eric Bailey greets gallery visitors |
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| Paintings by Fernando Reyes (left) and Eric Bailey (right) |
