Gary Lang

Art Brokerage: Gary Lang American Artist: b. 1950. Gary Lang is best known for his bold and aggressively painted circles, or "tondos" as they are referred to in the canons of art history. His monumental circles are all encompassing and exude intense vibrations of rhythm and color nearly hallucinogenic in their nature. His act of painting is very physical and requires intense focus on the interaction between brush, hand, paint and canvas. This level of concentration compels Lang to be "hyper-present" with his works—an element that translates from artist to viewer. Throughout his long career, Lang has always meditated on painting and techniques. Whether he is creating a painting, "painting" a flower garden, or more recently, creating a video piece based on the process of painting which ends with layer upon layer of color, the same way Lang paints, his final word is always on the painting process. About his video work, Lang has said, "The format of this piece is like being inside one of my paintings. The piece is about color, speed, light, space and time. It is a very dense construction that is shifting continually. It is almost baroque. You can do your best to keep up with it, but what I do is keep my viewer on their toes." (from the La Jolla Light, November 16, 2006, p. 22). "My painting process is a vehicle for crossing the threshold. Simply put it is a spiritual adventure that employs discipline and savors changeability. The wellspring source of the work is a mutating truth, which is what I nurture and what I am. It has been said that the work has an uplifting affect on the viewer. This is not surprising to me when I consider that the process is ultimately a pleasure driven meditation on accumulating and organizing energy, while investigating the potential of color. The completion of a painting can take from several months to a few years. For me they are testimonials, and the process an event. The paintings define infinity in their own terms, and are visual odysseys that both welcome and hold the viewer in epic time and space. The painted object is a vehicle for transforming the moment, the power of which is unleashed in its presence." Listings wanted by Art Brokerage.