Jamian Juliano-Villani
Sunday, 19 January 2014
Work from “Gamblers Choice” at Retrospective, Hudson.
“Juliano-Villani’s recent work renders hyperaware chaotic scenes in a bright, rich palette. Informed by a wide range of sources from ancient Eastern art to 1980s American cartoons, Juliano-Villani resists the notion that all paintings have to be about the history of the medium. While she may borrow elements and reference work from a range of sources including the curvaceous women in Ralph Bakshi’s cartoons, she makes use of inherent overstatements in imagery to play games of role reversal. In several compositions, small accessory objects hold equal weight to larger figures. Creatures of different species and ethnicities lounge against backgrounds of patterned curtains, bold plant life and spilt drinks. Although visually complex and layered with references, the artist presents control within chaos.” – Retrospective, Hudson