NEW YORK, NY – Chelsea’s Agora Gallery will feature the original work of Ilaria Castagnacci in The Figure and Unknown Places. The exhibition opens July 7, 2018 and runs through July 27,  2018 with an opening reception on Thursday, July 12 from 6-8 pm. Any art lover who enjoys thought-provoking artworks and meeting talented and interesting artists is encouraged to attend.

About the Artist

Ilaria Castagnacci’s playfully illustrative drawings imbue her observations of the everyday with refreshing exuberance and whimsy. Working in predominantly watercolor, ink, and pigment on paper, the artist chooses not to rely on preliminary sketches for her personal works, and instead allows the inspiration of people, nature, seasons, colors, and animals to dictate what each drawing will convey. Often placed upon a blank background, Castagnacci renders her highly saturated figures with an emphasis on curved lines, pose, and serene facial expressions. In works such as It’s Like Flying (2017), a woman holding an umbrella appears to float upon an ivory background. Donning a dazzling, ruby gown, the billowed shape of her petticoat mirrors the curves of her open umbrella. The figure’s polka dotted stockings coyly reveal themselves to the audience, yet this woman appears blithely unaware. Her pose and facial expression reflect pure, unpolluted delight as she hovers with outstretched arms, windswept strands of hair, eyes closed and head nearly bowed towards the viewer.

A native of Rome, Castagnacci does not remember a time when she did not have a pencil in her hand. After graduating from the European Design Institute in 2001, Castagnacci began her esteemed career as an illustrator. The artist is currently based in Rome.

Exhibition Dates: July 7 - July 27, 2018

Reception: Thursday July 12, 2018 6-8 PM

Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 11:00am – 6:00pm

Gallery Location: 530 West 25th Street, New York, NY

Event URL: https://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Ilaria_Castagnacci.aspx

Featured Artists:

Monica Adams | Francis Annan Affotey | Yu He | Angela Blattner | Ilaria Castagnacci | Boguslawa Czarnecka | Fiorenza D'Orazi | Jutta Ebeling-Dehnhard | Ashraf Elsharif | Marco Henrie | Ketan Kelkar | Gunter Langer | Pino Lavecchia | Taikyu Lim | Susan Marx | Andreas Meer | Mireille Pizzo | Mileidy Plata | J.H. Rebelato | Linda Rosen | Marliese Scheller | Christine Stettner | Richard Tomlin | Gonzalo Urrea Correa | Germán Valles Fernández | Hugo Ximello-Salido

About the Exhibition

The Figure and Unknown Places is an exhibition featuring twenty-six international painters and photographers exploring the connections between humans and the world we inhabit. Working between landscape painting and portraiture, the artists included reassess traditions and convey unique perspectives on timeless themes. Utilizing diverse visual languages, these artists provide fresh insight on engrained understandings of culture and nature, man and animal.

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.