Calling Old Master paintings her ‘powerful allies’ yet seeking to ‘shine a light on disparities’ in them, Elise Ansel considers the messages conveyed by iconic art historical works by reworking them as abstractions in new work at Miles McEnery Gallery. A comparison of specific artworks, in this case, Paolo Veronese’s 16th century Allegory of Virtue and Vice and the similarly composed and colored piece by Ansel titled ‘Virture and Vice III,’ reveals how the colors of the original convey meaning; our eye is drawn to the hero at center, Hercules, as he flees the enticements and electric orange tones of the woman at bottom right for the more sober green color of Virtue. (On view in Chelsea through Aug 31st).
Elise Ansel, Virtue and Vice III, oil on linen, 2023.
Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For more than 20 years, Merrily has published in international art magazines including Time Out New York, Art on Paper, Flash Art, Art Asia Pacific, Art Review, and Tema Celeste in addition to writing catalogue essays and guest lecturing. Merrily teaches art appreciation at Marymount Manhattan College and has taught for Cooper Union Continuing Education.
For more than a decade Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums for individuals and groups, including corporate tours, collectors, artists, advertising agencies, and student groups from Texas Woman's University, Parsons School of Design, Chicago's Moody Institute, Cooper Union Continuing Education, Hunter College Continuing Education and other institutions. Merrily's tours have been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Sydney Morning Herald and Philadelphia Magazine.
Merrily is licensed by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs as a tour guide and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA USA)
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