Illuminating the Canvas: Alex Selkowitz's Journey from Cinematography to Oil Painting
Initiated and organized by The Bridge Arts Foundation, the 'Seeking Light' Global Young Artist Open-Call Exhibition is currently being held at Scholart Selection Gallery in San Gabriel, California, and will run until May 18th, 2024.
Bridge Arts Foundation's Art Director, Tia Xu, engaged in a conversation about the exhibition and art with several artists participating in this exhibition. In this interview, we have the pleasure of speaking with artist Alex Selkowitz.
—— Q&A ——
Tia Xu: Could you please share your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in art?
Alex Selkowitz: My journey began back to when I was a kid. I was always influenced by various forms of media - cartoons, tv shows, movies, video games and comic strips. Inspired by all of these I began drawing and making pictures all the time. Throughout school and a brief bit of community college I always took art classes. In my early twenties I began working in the film business. It was there that I worked as a lighting technician and later as a grip. These jobs entail lighting design but also lighting control. Creating shadows and shaping light.
About 10 years ago I discovered oil painting and it was like being struck by lightning. A tsunami of information came together. My knowledge of lighting, shadows, cinematography, story telling, composition all coalesced to form a new found passion. I began taking classes and researching painters that I admired.
Because I paint ordinary things in the world around me I am often inspired by observation, particularly if I find an area well “lit” by sunlight or man made lights at night. There are times where I am walking by a place and I get a feeling, a sense of time, place and memory. I begin to see a story evolve - moment of the in-between of something just about to happen or something that just happened.
Alex Selkowitz_Culdesac at Sunset. Photo courtesy of artist.
Tia Xu: What does "Seeking Light" mean to you, and how does your artwork explore this theme? Can you tell us the story behind your artwork from the exhibition?
Alex Selkowitz: When I first saw the term “Seeking Light” I took the idea literally. It is a way of describing my discovery process. When I am out in the world I am attempting to observe the different way light and dark shapes are juxtaposed together. I will capture lots of pictures and drawings as a visual reference for later. The dance of light and shadow is at the core of my paintings and I use both to create a sense of depth, a particular mood or tone and a way of guiding the viewer through the painting. It is through the literal act of “seeking light “ that many of my paintings begin.
Bridge Arts Foundation's "Seeking Light" Open Call Exhibition Installation View, Photo: © The Scholart Selection / Luna Hao
ABOUT OPEN CALL EXHIBITION PROGRAM
Bridge Arts Foundation's "Seeking Light" Open Call Exhibition Installation View, Photo: © The Scholart Selection / Luna Hao
Bridge Arts Foundation's Open Call Exhibition Program is designed to provide support for early-career artists. The "Seeking Light" Open Call Exhibition has thoughtfully selected 18 talented artists from a pool of over 500 submissions, employing a selection process that involves art professionals. "Seeking Light" opens from April 20th to May 18th, 2024.
ABOUT ARTIST
Alex Selkowitz
Lives and Works in Los Angeles, California
Exhibitions
2024- Los Angeles Art Association's 2023 Open Show 2023 Gallery 825, Los Angeles,CA
TAG Gallery - Made In The USA
TAG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2022 The Other Art Fair
Event Space, 4317 Beverly Blvd, East Los Angeles, CA
2021 The Other Art Fair
ROW DTLA, Downtown Los Angeles, CA
2020 Art Palm Springs
Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, CA
2019 The Other Art Fair
Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, CA
The Other Art Fair
Magic Box at the Reef, Los Angeles, CA
2018 The Other Art Fair
Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, CA