Date: Fri 30-Apr-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

Krivacka

Full Text:

Lisa Krivacka Paintings Convey Eery Attractions

NEW YORK CITY -- "Wish You Were Here," an exhibition of paintings by Lisa

Krivacka that focus on the great American wanderlust will be featured at the

Margaret Bodell Gallery, 13 East 7th Street, from May 6 to July 3.

The exhibition includes small paintings, many with hand-carved frames,

inspired by travel postcards; a large wooden cut-out puzzle of the US; and a

piece composed of three-dimensional painted letters that spell out "Wish You

Were Here." Collectively, the paintings capture Ms Krivacka's impressions of

her isolated upbringing in a small town in Tennessee.

Motels, diners, and strange tourist attractions are immortalized as fleeting

slices of Americana in this group of small paintings. Krivacka works from

obscure travel postcards found at flea markets, antique stores, and ephemera

shows. She selects images that reveal psychological tensions and convey a

sense of innocence in their awkward design and amateur photography. These

imperfections and quirky details are emphasized in her paintings, giving them

a quiet edge. Messages found on the backs of the cards or standard traveler's

cliches are sometimes superimposed on the manipulated images to add humor and

provide emotional impact. Krivacka provides an example of the ironies she

explores in her paintings: "I was impressed by the ominous quality of the

postcard that inspired "Comfort for the Traveller."

The advertised motel was in obvious need of repair and the shade tree in the

foreground of the composition made eery patterns on the lawn. To me, the card

was scary and served more as a warning than a marketing tool. Still, I had

respect for the spirit in which the card was created; the owners of the motel

seemed unaware of the flaws I found evident in the photograph and were

motivated by feelings of pride to create a reproduction of their

establishment." Other subjects like "The State Highway Building in Columbia,

S.C." or "The Pennsylvania Turnpike" inspired Krivacka because they appear

strange, and surreal when compared to current technological advancements.

In the large wooden cut-out map of the US, each state has a portion of an

early American oil company logo painted on it. Krivacka chose the strongest

images with the most optimistic names like "Early Bird" and "Your Friend" to

suggest that mobility is equal to power and prosperity. In contrast, each of

the three-dimensional "Wish You Were Here" letters has quiet slice-of-life

paintings of motel interiors or vast open spaces inhabited by only one person.

The images convey emotional vulnerability or loneliness.

The Margaret Bodell Gallery, 13 East 7th Street, is open Wednesday through

Sunday, noon to 7 pm.