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asantell

anthony santella
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Hi all, anyone in the NY, NJ area that might be interested I have an upcoming solo show at the Barron Arts Center in Woodbridge NJ:

The Barron Art Center Hosts “Transformations: The Art of Anthony Santella” 
September 6-25, 2014     
Artist’s Reception:  September 11, 2014 7-9pm

Woodbridge, New Jersey–The Barron Arts Center presents “Transformations: The Art of Anthony Santella.”  The exhibit runs September 6-25, 2014 with a reception Thursday, September 11, 2014 ~ 7-9pm. Light refreshments will be available. 

Transformation is an unavoidable, often unwelcome part of existence. Children become adults. Friends become lovers. Lovers become strangers. The young become old. The living pass into legend.  These transformations are reflected in the tales and myths we tell to understand life through symbols. Humans become plants. Animals become human. Strangers come, bearing burdens of change.  We find ourselves in thin places where lines blur between the visible and the spirit worlds.

My work has always been informed by a fascination with these myths, legends and visions. 

My sculptural work draws on the embodiment of these myths in the ritual woodcarving of medieval Europe, Africa and Pacific Northwest indigenous culture. These traditions depict powerful spiritual beings in stylized human form. In adapting these forms to modern figures and concerns I want to challenge the viewer to see their daily decisions and trials, the transformations they cause and endure in the light of epic myth.

My two dimensional work draws on medieval religious imagery and classic illustrations of legends and fairytales.  By placing mythic figures and surreal anomalies in modern contexts I want to question our faith in the reality of the waking world, its rules, and the primacy of its values: pleasure, power, control. Perhaps instead when we face the incomprehensible and die, bit by bit, sacrifice by sacrifice, we are most truly alive.

This work is the result of explorations of the themes of myth, identity and transformation over two decades of my career as an artist. It is a record of constant transformations, gradual and violent within art and life. At its best art is a tool that helps us face reality. In the body of work here I have tried to challenge the viewer and myself to see reality through new eyes.

 

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The coming two weekends I'll be at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in NYC
May 24, 25, 26; also May 31 and June 1, 2014
11am-6pm University Place, I'll be between 9th and 10th st. 
Stop by and say hi.
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Openings, a NY based artist collective I'm involved in has an open call out for its 2013 fall show. 2012 show had close to 1k visitors to the opening of the exhibit held every year in an active church near Columbus Circle. Be nice to see more folks from the surreal/visionary community involved. No fee submit an application.


Call for Artists

1). All of the Above

Deadline for submissions: Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Openings invites artists to submit proposals to participate in 1). All of the Above, a group art exhibition taking place in Fall 2013 at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in NYC.

With this year's theme, 1). All of the Above, Openings is asking you to tell us what you're passionate about, what you're thinking about, what you're interested in. We're curious to know how you would begin this conversation. We're curious about the questions you would ask. We're curious about your answers. We believe your response can address the question; "Where is the unity in all of our diversity?"

Openings is a collective of visual artists whose mission is to explore the connections between creativity and transcendence.  Each year the group presents an exhibition addressing a particular theme.  The theme for the 2013 exhibition is 1). All of the Above.  Artists are asked to submit a detailed proposal for artwork in any medium which explores their interpretation of this theme, addressed either personally, publicly, politically, aesthetically, conceptually, or spiritually.  Artwork will be exhibited within the unique space of the interior of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on Columbus Avenue at W 60th Street in New York City.

Submission Guidelines

Artists are asked to submit the following materials:

●      Detailed Visual Proposal for 1). All of the Above: This should include clear and descriptive text/drawings/sketches/schematics of a proposed artwork for the exhibition or images of finished artwork you are proposing to show. Artists are encouraged to visit the exhibition space within Church of St. Paul the Apostle in advance of sending their proposal.

●      Proposal Statement of 250 words or less (in doc or docx format) describing the proposed artwork and how it addresses the theme of 1). All of the Above.

●      Contact information: name, address, email, telephone, website url (in doc or docx format).

●      10 separate jpeg images of recent work (no greater than 800 pixels or 11 inches at 72 dpi). Each file must be labeled with title, medium, dimensions and artist's name.

●      Current CV (in doc or docx format).

●      Artist statement of 250 words or less (in doc or docx format).

Eligibility:

This call for entries is open to any visual artist over the age of 18.  All submissions must be received via email to alloftheabove@openingsny.com. There is no fee for submitting a proposal; however, we will request a fee of $60 once you have been accepted into the exhibition.  This fee will go towards the cost of promotion, hanging, publicity and opening reception.  Artists will be selected by a jury of current Openings members and invited guest jurors. In addition, selected artists are required to sign an exhibition contract and to comply with the terms therein. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. All selected artists will be asked to schedule a studio/work space visit with one or more of the exhibition's curators as a way to show/discuss works in progress as they relate to the theme of the exhibition.  The suggested studio visit will also be used as an opportunity to record photo/video material for the purposes of generating PR for the show.  Artists or their representative must be present for both the delivery and installation of artwork as well as the de-installation and removal of artwork on the dates specified below.  Openings and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle will not accept or store works delivered in advance of the installation day and cannot store artworks after the de-installation date. Openings reserves the right to refuse to exhibit artworks that differ substantially from submitted proposals.

Event Schedule:

February 20, 2013: Completed submissions due via email

March 10, 2013: Notification of selected artists by email/phone

March 27, 2013: Artist meeting, exhibition space walk through

May 7, 2013: Artist update via email

June 7, 2013: Begin studio visits with selected artists…

August 13, 2013: Deadline to submit work-in-progress reports

September 12, 2013: Delivery/Installation of exhibition at Church of St. Paul the Apostle

September 13, 2013: Exhibition opens to the public

September 19, 2013: Opening Reception

October 3, 2013: Artist walk-through

October 25, 2013: De-installation of exhibition

Please send all submissions via email to alloftheabove@openingsny.com

Any questions pertaining to Openings or the exhibition can be directed to alloftheabove@openingsny.com

The deadline for submissions is midnight (EST), Wednesday, February 20, 2013
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Back, maybe

1 min read
I've not been around, being busy with day job, commissions and just generally out of it, but hopefully I'll be posting some backlog of projects from the past year. Or maybe this virtuous intention will last only for this one day I am home sick...
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Tree Trunk

1 min read
Over the summer I'm working on a 6 foot figure in a dead tree trunk at St Anastasia's in Teaneck NJ, I'll post some work in progress pics here, or check out my blog for ongoing updates. anthonysantella.blogspot.com/
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Featured

Upcoming Solo Show by asantell, journal

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit by asantell, journal

1). All of the Above - open call by asantell, journal

Back, maybe by asantell, journal

Tree Trunk by asantell, journal