Rosa Loy: 9 Wege
Opening on June 27, 2006, David Zwirner is pleased to present the first U.S. solo exhibition by German painter Rosa Loy. Loy has had recent solo exhibitions at Städtische Museen Zwickau, Zwickau, Germany; Kunstverein Elsterpark/Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; VEAG Förderpreis für Kunst, Leipzig, Germany; and Kunstverein der Stadt Backnang, Backnang, Germany.
In her large-scale figurative paintings and intimate works on paper, Rosa Loy explores deeply personal themes: the sense of isolation and loneliness after her family's move from her childhood village to Leipzig; the interpretation of her dreams; color symbolism; and, perhaps most importantly, the spiritual realm. Women are the key players in her paintings, yet their motives are ambiguous–discreet levels of meaning are hidden amid coded and murky symbols. In many of the works, twins or doubles appear. One figure may be Loy herself, and the double is the artist's childhood friend with whom she was separated years ago. Loy employs three predominant settings– the post-industrial landscape around Leipzig; a domestic space (often a home, room, or studio); and a garden motif. New characters have emerged in the most recent works as these settings have grown decidedly darker and more complex.