Nick Georgiou: Codex Chroma at Allouche Gallery

Allouche Gallery, Meatpacking District

 

 

 

Nick Georgiou, Unassuming Self, 2019. Discarded books, acrylic ink and paint on canvas. 48 x 60 x 5 in. Courtesy Allouche Gallery

Allouche Gallery will open its doors to Nick Georgiou: Codex Chroma, a vibrant new collection of paper wall reliefs, exploring the unique life cycle of books as objects of art.

Nick Georgiou, Self Portrait Codex Chroma. Courtesy Allouche Gallery
We remember Georgiou’s exhibition in 2017, inspired by real, fake, contradictory and overwhelming news of the day. In this body of work, he is inspired by the formation of ancient codex manuscripts created by stacking pages and fixing one edge to a spine, Georgiou’s complex paper friezes layer color and character affixed to canvas and wood.
The year 2019 marks a decade since Georgiou relocated to Tucson, Arizona from New York. Codex Chroma bookends a chapter in his life and work in which the polarities of light and dark have surfaced for intense examination. Delving into the mysteries of nature and life, Georgiou has made a study of the desert landscape, connecting the seen with unseen, tracing the light on the form, to penetrate the deeper insights of the natural world, illuminated in its extremes.
Nick Georgiou, Mr. Azurite, 2018. Discarded books, acrylic ink and paint on wood. 60 x 45 x 5 in. Courtesy Allouche Gallery

“As the triple digit heat approaches the Sonoran desert, a burst of color illuminates what is usually a monochromatic landscape, transforming it into a mosaic of hues. The color combinations are infinite as are the radical shapes that push through the earth. One strange cactus after another brings forth blooms that are alien and unimaginable. The observer stands transfixed and mesmerized by the odd beauty; it’s sensory overload but in a way that entices a closer look.”  ~ Nick Georgiou.

Nick Georgiou, Codex Chroma, 2019. Discarded books, acrylic ink on wood framed in steel. 62 x 50 x 4 in. Courtesy Allouche Gallery

The collection is comprised of discarded books that are cut, painted and meticulously positioned in works that range from figurative to abstract, and still life to portraiture.

Nick Georgiou: Codex Chroma will open on May 16 with Opening Reception from 6-9pm. Allouche Gallery is located at 82 Gansevoort Street, NYC.