Today was the reception for Kindred, a exhibition of gouache paintings by Long Island-based artist Toni Figliola. It took place at the Merrick Library which has to be one of the nicest libraries I’ve ever been in (I love libraries).
The colored paintings were my favorite. They are an interesting take on the typical family photograph. To many, viewing family snapshots of people you don’t know can be uninteresting. However, Figliola’s careful selection of portraits coupled with her painting skills, have produced a selection of work that pulls you in. You wonder about the time and the place the photographs were taken, who the people in them are.
The one that stood out for me is titled “Grandma and Uncle Tony”. Created using a limited palette, the painting of two children almost has an eerie feeling to it. Figliola has a way of painting blocks of color and adding just enough detail to make the figures discernible. The side of the boys shirt blends right into the background yet he still feels grounded and the shadows behind both subjects allow them to pop.
I sent Toni over a few questions regarding her work.
1. Your show is called “Kindred”, best defined as “a person’s relatives collectively, a group of persons related to another; family, tribe, or race.” Can you explain where the title came from and what inspired you to utilize family portraits in your work?
All of my artwork in this gallery has to do with looking back into one’s past and remembering/desiring these moments that were experienced by these characters. Some people deal with death and loss through mourning, while I deal with it through Gouache. These photographs that I find remind me of the people I had or the relationships I’ve always wanted. This is my way of expressing it.
2. Family portraits are ubiquitous. What draws you to a specific photograph and makes you want to paint it? Where do you obtain the photographs from? Do you approach a painting differently if you know the people in it?
Well at first, I was obsessed with Family albums that were buried in my grandmother’s attic. I found it so interesting that these people, and these moments were stuck in the pages and forgotten. The photographs of events and experiences of my heritage were left there to collect dust. I wanted people see what I found to be precious. I don’t approach paint different if I know them because my painting process is about finding shapes of shadow and color to create a mood, not just the person I know.
3. Many of the images have a quiet, solemn feeling to them. Was this intentional?
Not always intentional. Some are of course. But, I do love the element of surprise and the accidental paint marks that suddenly create this new emotion to the composition.
4. What’s next for you? Will you continue this project or move on to new subject matter?
I will always have a connection to these images. These people in the photographs have become apart of me. I do want to work more with collage and abstraction, but always with these people.
