by Bruce Halpin
Ani Rosskam left and middle
Bill Leech right
Ani Rosskam and Bill Leech have provided a fascinating look into a world of serious whimsy; full of magic and humor, as well as viscerally impressive color. A substantial portion of the show is comprised of large scale works hugely ambitious and yet touchingly intimate and personal.
Ani Rosskam’s work, while quite different from Leech’s work, compliments his ideas. The large painting “Plop” is like an unlikely collision of color field painting and some sort of surrealism that really defies any categorical attempt to be defined. Another large work, “Old Black Painting“, displays a sort of dream logic that disappears when you get too close to its meaning. In addition to the large works, Rosskam’s smaller works, mostly collage, invoke a similar undefinable unease combined with a sharp wit and undeniable humor. You are not going to be able to put a finger on what’s happening here. The work is disquieting, yet familiar, almost like an X-ray of a really complicated sensibility with which you mistakenly believe you’re familiar.
Bill Leech’s large paintings employ an astonishing variety of painterly strategies that often seem to be at odds with each other but ultimately combine as a coherent statement. And it’s fun to see.
Leech’s command of painting techniques brings an authoritative completeness to what otherwise might be just too disparate to coexist in a painting wherein the magic lies. Leech’s use of color is equally impressive. He has included some drawings and prints that further augment his vision and provide other avenues of wonder. There’s a private intuitive logic that makes it all work.
When considering that these two artists live together, it’s hard to believe there’s enough room in any finite place for these huge imaginations. Sometimes it seems as if they are in a dialogue exchanging oblique messages about a shared universe. Of course each body of work stands on its own strength, but together they provide a powerful experience for the viewer and a glimpse into what is indeed a wonderful world.
Ani Rosskam and Bill Leech: A Wonderful World, curated by Anne Trauben, runs from 9/29/22 - 1/13/23.
Bruce Halpin is an artist living in Jersey City. Read Bruce's bio here and view his artwork here.