The Ann Street Gallery presents exhibit devoted to the human form

The show’s 16 artists use paper, videos, photographs, paintings, sculptures, collage and embroidered fabrics Newburgh — The Ann Street Gallery will present”Human Form: Enduring Inspiration” with an artist reception on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. This new exhibition highlights a thematic grouping of 16 visual artists whose work demonstrates the enduring interest and diversity of figural art, showcasing an array of stylistic approaches to the subject. The human form has endured as a powerful theme throughout the long history of art. Since prehistory different cultures and time periods have painted, drawn, and carved images of the human form applying to these the values and beliefs of their own age. Prehistoric caves entomb our earliest known figurative drawings and paintings. Ancient Egyptians carved the rigid human forms into their hieroglyphics, while archaic Greek and Roman sculptors, as well as artists of the Renaissance, created works of art that glorified the human body. As societies evolved, so did the ways artists investigate and interpret the human form. Not only does figurative art act as a direct means to address the human condition and make connections, but especially for these 16 contemporary artists, it remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Eight different mediums The works in the “Human Form” exhibition features artists drawn from across the country, bringing together exemplary works of paper, videos, photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, collage and embroidered fabrics bound by their shared theme and inspired by the human form. These representations offer the viewer an opportunity to compare and contrast works of different styles and mediums, while experiencing an encompassing range of possibilities. There are the classical nudes, illusionistic portraits that express powerful emotions, drawings that explore identity and sculptures focusing on social issues, as well as, embroidered narratives of personal histories. In short, what these works reveal is the artists’ inspirational use of the human form emphasizing its versatile capacity to capture the diversity and complexity of the contemporary human experience.