The Garvey| Simon Gallery is currently presenting an Artsy.net-exclusive exhibition – Playtime: from Innocence to Debauchery. The exhibition is an exploration of pleasure and gratification. Spanning drawing, photography, and ceramics, the media and technique are as sentimental and devious as they are diverse. From the innocuous and endearing: a wiffle ball, a boy with his kite, a pristine playground–to the depraved: worn out condoms, brothel closets, and illicit substances, Playtime has something for every whim or fancy. Each artist renders their subject with immense care, honoring the instinctual need for play and levity, regardless of its form.
The dichotomy of this selection of artworks demonstrates the impact of context and tone, and excavates the underpinnings of these spaces of play. Particularly relevant during our time of quarantine and isolation, Playtime gestures towards the paradox of play: is it joy or pain, inane or momentous, sordid or simple? Furthermore, what is play when it occurs in the same space as work, and how radically does it change when conflagrated with age and setting. Which pieces in the show resonate a sense of play with you most? We welcome comments on our Instagram and Facebook pages. Have fun!
The Exhibition is ongoing through July 15 2020.
For more information on the exhibition please visit www.simongarvey.com
Image courtesy of the Gallery – Will Barnet Kite Boy, 1986, Oil on canvas 64 x 60 in.
