DTLA LIFE MAG #21 | SEPTEMBER 2015 | Page 48

This September GDCA Gallery offers not one, but TWO head-turning exhibits: Tanya Ragir’s “The Warrior Series” and Mark Brosmer’s “Clear”. Acclaimed sculptor, Tanya Ragir is debuting – for the first time in its entirety – her highly anticipated “Warrior Series” collection. Art-Critic Shana Nys Dambrot had the following to say about the artist’s work: “Sculptor Tanya Ragir’s abiding love of narrative allegory and figurative symbolism has always operated within an edgy, engaged conceptual framework.” I could not imagine a better introduction. “The ‘Warrior Series’ centers around states of being;” the artist explains, “facing the internal/external barriers – struggle and loss – risk and trust.” This deeply personal body of work fiercely delves into the human psyche. Ragir’s figures are imbued with the harrowing struggles and sublime victories of a heroic soul. Delicate yet powerful, her figures are primal in their absolute femininity. Each individually crafted torso is achingly sensuous and perfect, eliciting desire and reverence as well as a profound respect for the human form. Emotion is the pivotal, driving force behind Ragir’s work. She understands and commands the key ingredient to be an artist - being authentic in your work and life - and the absolute necessity of taking risks in both. Breathtakingly brave, her art embodies all of our passions: ecstasy, abandon, languor, grace, vulnerability, and pathos. They exude raw emotional power, unbridled sensuality, and are expressive to the point where they seem to cross over into our realm. They seem to live, to breathe. Mark Brosmer puts life under a microscope in his exhibit of contemporary magical-hyper-realism paintings “CLEAR”. Exploring the metaphoric parameters of water drops, Brosmer creates hauntingly serene reflections of the world around us. Deeply personal motifs of the artist’s past & present are dissected and mused over in this riveting and impressive overview of Brosmer’s last decade of works. Tany & Mark