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Jennifer S. Levine: Solamente
September 14, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm MDT
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Join us SEPTEMBER 14TH, doors at 6:30pm, for an opening of celebration at the debut of artist Jennifer S. Levine’s newest collection of paintings with written accompaniment.
The show is called “Solamente”. It is a Spanish word which translates into the English adverb “only”. In the idea of “only”, it seems a singular construct. But, as an adverb, it is a modifier which defines a verb, phrase or even whole sentence. There’s an isolating interdependence at play when “only” is introduced. To say, “I am only…” or “If only…” or “Should I only…” we find ourselves in relationships of limitations. And, that is not a way to live. The body of work in this show is about taking away the “only” and exploring the countless, immeasurable ways one can express oneself through color and word. The collection is meant to be aspirational. It is meant to be inspirational. The viewer is invited to engage in the pieces both visually, then spiritually by reading their companion thought-pieces and either agreeing with the artist or having their own completely different interpretation.
So, if the show is about engagement then why is it called “Solamente”? Ms. Levine has a simple answer for this, “I wanted to underscore the importance of what it is to not have qualifiers in your life holding you back. I thought the best way to do that was by entitling the show as a qualifier, a direct point and counterpoint in your face… and, being a native Texan, having studied Spanish at such a young age, ‘solamente’ was the first word that came to mind, gave the concept more poignancy.”
To further this idea of living in agency over restraint and inviting guests into her process, Ms. Levine came up with a novel interactive element for her upcoming show. She will have a large canvas and paints setup in the middle of the room for folks to join in on a collaborative piece. At the end of the evening, she’ll take home the started painting to finish while posting pictures of her progress so everyone can follow along online. But that isn’t all that is in store for opening night, special guest Valerie Bhat will be performing. This local singer and songwriter out of Boulder is a rare gem. She’ll be singing from her original songbook, along with a couple collaborative pieces inspired by paintings in the show at every half hour.