January 16 – March 13, 2010
Opening reception: Saturday, January 16
Artist Talk: 7 pm
Lora Reynolds Gallery is pleased to announce our third solo exhibition by Brooklyn based
artist Jim Torok. The artist will give a public talk at the gallery on January 16 at 7pm,
please see additional details below.
The exhibition Clowns and Portraits will feature a new series of paintings on panel and
paper as well as new small-scale portraits in oil on panel. The artist’s most recent
paintings are gestural depictions of clowns in which Jim Torok examines the area
between abstraction and figuration. Like Picasso, Lautrec, Nauman and others before
him, Torok explores this often personal and introspective subject matter. These paintings
draw a parallel to the artist’s cartoon-like alter ego seen in many of his earlier works as
both depict long, oval faces, skinny necks, and large noses. Employing both the
paintbrush and his fingers as tools, building layer upon layer, these works are
undoubtedly the most expressive, self-exploratory renderings of Torok’s career.
In dialogue with this series will be four new portraits, softer in palette and striking in
contrast to both the spontaneity and expressiveness of the clowns. This is especially
evident in “Self Portrait” where a stoic, photo-realistic Torok gazes out of the intimately
sized oil on panel. The dusty gray-green of the artist’s shirt and pale blue backdrop are a
calm counterpart to the vibrant reds and yellows of the clowns.
Jim Torok was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1954. He currently lives and works in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn with his wife, Mary Carlson. His work is included in many
important private collections internationally, and has been shown in numerous exhibitions
nationally. Torok’s work has been acquired by many museums including the Museum of
Modern Art, New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.. Torok is currently
included in a three-person exhibition entitled, Portraiture Now: Communities on view at
the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. through July 5, 2010.
Jim Torok: Clowns and Portraits will be on view at Lora Reynolds Gallery, 360 Nueces,
Suite 50, Austin, Texas 78701 from January 16 through March 6, 2010.
GALLERY HOURS: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. For further
information please visit our website, www.lorareynolds.com, contact Emma Cole at
512.215.4965 or emma@lorareynolds.com.