Edition Announcement #69 - Echo Eggebrecht

Tuesday Edition: Echo Eggebrecht

Tuesday greetings, my fine feathered friends. It's been a while since we've featured any avian themed art, but I've definitely got birds on the brain. We're in the midst of preparations for our upcoming Summer group show, Ornithology, which opens at Jen Bekman Gallery on June 25th. Yikes, that is soon. It's not just birds that fly! For your anticipation, and my own inspiration, both of this week's editions feature things that go tweet.

Today's Birds of a Feather is our second edition from painter Echo Eggebrecht. I love the surreality of the scene and find my (admittedly futile) attempts to make sense of it amusing. It's also a lovely contrast to the swirling darkness of her first edition, the gorgeous Time Machine, which signals its mystery differently.

For a while I was obsessed with Luis Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, indecipherable as it was (and still is) to me. I was utterly mystified by most of it, but also I was thoroughly entertained — it was sexy, funny, interesting, surprising, beautiful to look at and also brutal. Like life should be, except surreal.

A lot of Echo's work affects me similarly, there are stories she's telling and symbolism, easier for some of us to pick out than it might be for others, abounds. But you don't need the symbols deciphered to get your own meaning and enjoyment from the work, or to create your own stories.

Also: just look! It's beautiful, distinctive and utterly unique. I love the palette — the creamy hues paired with reds and oranges and pinks remind me of Mexican folk art, and the flatness of perspective brings to mind folk art in the same way that Site, Sarah McKenzie's recent edition, did. And yet, all of Echo's work is suffused with a Old World European sensibility that makes me think of castles, heavy drapes and tragic tales.

If you're in NYC, you'll have a chance to see some of Echo's gorgeous work in person very very soon. She's in a group show at Sunday gallery, showing along with many other fine painters including our own 20x200 edition maker Rachell Sumpter. Sunday is a great gallery that shows many fine emerging painters, and its proprietor, Clayton Sean Horton, is friendly, smart and terrific. In other words: he's a wonderful neighbor. Tenderly opens this Thursday (May 29) from 6pm-9pm. I can't wait!

I'm back tomorrow with this week's photo edition, which flew to us from all the way across the pond. It's a good one, so check in tomorrow for all the details.

Previous Newsletter : Edition Announcement #68 - Michael David Murphy