Riva Lehrer: Exquisite Radical
@ Riverside Arts Center Freeark Gallery
32 E. Quincy St., Riverside, IL 60546
Opening Sunday, September 4th, from 3PM - 6PM
On view through Saturday, October 15th
The Riverside Arts Center is pleased to present Riva Lehrer’s solo exhibition Exquisite Radical. Riva Lehrer’s figurative paintings and drawings challenge conventional notions of beauty. She exquisitely depicts bodies we are told not to look at, certainly not to stare at—not to see. She does this through portraiture, which traditionally focuses on unique individuals deemed worthy of being “the stars of their own lives.”
Born with spina bifida, Riva was told in art school that “bodies like yours are not acceptable subject matter for art.” She has gone on to radicalize that which is labeled deformed, forcing us to see a new beauty through her anti-normal lens. With this, we’re given emotional intensity, insight, empathy, dignity and intelligence, all wrapped in fantastical narratives and the seductive luxury of rendered illusion. The exhibition is curated by Anne Harris.
About the Artist
Riva Lehrer is a Chicago-based artist, writer and activist for the disabled. Her paintings and drawings have been exhibited at museums such as the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art. She’s been the recipient of awards such as The Carol J. Gill Award for Disability Culture, The Wynn Newhouse Award for Artists of Excellence, and a 3Arts Residency Fellowship at the University of Illinois.
Official Website
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Tags: Anne Harris, Exquisite Radical, Riva Lehrer, Riverside, Riverside Art Center Freeark Gallery
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