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On a Thursday evening, in inebriated Chelsea, I robotically entered the Asya Geisberg Gallery and realized that I had stepped into an 18th century fairytale, somewhere in the midst of European woods. Portraits of beautiful, naked women sitting next to grotesque caricatures of modernized peasants. I may have cringed at a few three-dimensional boils that were staring right at me, but after touring the gallery a few times, these characters made me feel comfortable. They were so honestly self-deprecating that I was able to, not only strangely feel included, but also look at myself and conclude; all this isn’t so serious. |
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“When I’m in the country, I feel as if I’m missing out. When I’m in the city, all I want is to escape”
Rebecca Morgan, Self Portrait as Bumpkin, 2011. Courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery
Peasants In The City: Rebecca Morgan at Asya Geisberg
By Dounia Lomri
On a Thursday evening, in inebriated Chelsea, I robotically entered the Asya Geisberg Gallery and realized that I had stepped into an 18th century fairytale, somewhere in the midst of European woods. Portraits of beautiful, naked women sitting next to grotesque caricatures of modernized peasants. I may have cringed at a few three-dimensional boils that were staring right at me, but after touring the gallery a few times, these characters made me feel comfortable. They were so honestly self-deprecating that I was able to, not only strangely feel included, but also look at myself and conclude — all this isn’t so serious.
Morgan definitely enjoys the effect her auto-portraits have on people. The scenery she uses is an essential part of her art, as the rural background these peasants are painted in, is representative of her relationship with both countryside and cityscape. “When I’m in the country, I feel as if I’m missing out. When I’m in the city, all I want is to escape,” explains Morgan. Her sentiment towards the city is entirely relatable; the immensity is overwhelming, but simultaneously stimulating. Coming from a small, conservative farm town, Rebecca uses images to talk about struggles, irony and absurdity. The Tourist Bumpkin at Dusk seems to be an anachronism amongst the other paintings; the “I love NY” t-shirt not only adds a comical touch to the painting, but also directly refers to her mixed feelings about the city. The peasant wearing this shirt is grimacing, grotesque-looking and an extreme caricature of the average tourist that sets foot in New York. The amazing thing about Rebecca’s work is that it is disturbingly honest; this tourist could be her, me, or you.
Her philosophy about art making is original. Making work doesn’t have to be serious. And for her, laughing about it turns it into a game, instead of an obligation. The way she feels about drawing and painting mirrors her love-hate relationship with the city. The process of drawing, which she excels in, is something she does not entirely enjoy, yet it has to be done. Themes aside, she is an expert at controlling her technique. When that part of the process is over, expression takes over. Here, process gives way to a feeling of liberation.
Targeting herself — as both spectator and participant — Morgan’s work is self-reflesive and also makes it accessible – it lets us in. “What else is there to do but to make work about what a cluster fuck I am and everything else is?” Her honesty let’s me appreciate the ironic in the imaging of oneself.
Rebecca Morgan’s show can be seen at the Asya Geisberg Gallery, 537B W 23rd St., New York, NY 10011, until May 26. Artist talk on May 5, at 1pm.
