Helen’s latest series “Observance” was inspired by Helen’s experience participating in a residency called the Land Art Road Trip. In the summer of 2014, a small company of artists set out on the road to see iconic land art and environments of the American Southwest. Helen lived on the road and in extremely desolate landscapes with an intimate group of people for one month. With no cell reception for weeks at a time, this journey created an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the interactions between the people, places, and communities that they encountered. Helen’s portraits aim to capture the sensations of awe and wonder we feel when confronted with nature’s surreal landscapes as well as our everyday surroundings.
In juxtaposition with Helen’s “Ok to Disconnect” series, her “Observance” paintings capture her models completely disconnected from any form of technology. Helen’s subjects are able to focus on what lays before them, detached from any text, tweets, calls, or apps. Instead of looking down, they look out. While we may not know what any of her subjects are looking at, we do know they are not looking down checking their latest instagram post or incoming email. The combination of these two series represents the impact of technology and our generation’s inability to disconnect and live in the moment. “Observance” is a departure from “Ok to Disconnect” and depicts Helen’s subjects freed from the confines of their phones. By showing both of these series together, Helen hopes to establish a “before and after” effect.
Helen’s latest series “Observance” was inspired by Helen’s experience participating in a residency called the Land Art Road Trip. In the summer of 2014, a small company of artists set out on the road to see iconic land art and environments of the American Southwest. Helen lived on the road and in extremely desolate landscapes with an intimate group of people for one month. With no cell reception for weeks at a time, this journey created an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the interactions between the people, places, and communities that they encountered. Helen’s portraits aim to capture the sensations of awe and wonder we feel when confronted with nature’s surreal landscapes as well as our everyday surroundings.
In juxtaposition with Helen’s “Ok to Disconnect” series, her “Observance” paintings capture her models completely disconnected from any form of technology. Helen’s subjects are able to focus on what lays before them, detached from any text, tweets, calls, or apps. Instead of looking down, they look out. While we may not know what any of her subjects are looking at, we do know they are not looking down checking their latest instagram post or incoming email. The combination of these two series represents the impact of technology and our generation’s inability to disconnect and live in the moment. “Observance” is a departure from “Ok to Disconnect” and depicts Helen’s subjects freed from the confines of their phones. By showing both of these series together, Helen hopes to establish a “before and after” effect.
Helen's Observance series is shown as part of her solo show "What is Everyone Looking At?" at the Citigroup Center in Manhattan
March 1st - April 30th
A Different Kind of Road Map
44 x 36 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
Charles Bonneville Salt Flats
45 x 60 inches
Oil on Linen
2015
Peter Salt Lake
36 x 48 in
Oil on Linen
2014
Em and Charles Zion
45 x 60 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
FOR SALE
Sara and Robyn
45 x 60 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
FOR SALE
Helen Ostuni
16 x 20 inches
Oil on Canvas
2015
SOLD
Harriet Williamsburg
16 x 20 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
Annie Williamsburg
16 x 20 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
SOLD
Charles Sun Tunnels
16 x 20 inches
Oil on Canvas
2015
FOR SALE
Brooklyn
48 x 36 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
FOR SALE
Marta Valley of Fire II
36 x 48 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
SOLD
Freddy Turtle Cay
18 x 25 inches
Oil on Canvas
2016
FOR SALE
Alex Double Negative
28 x 30 inches
oil on canvas
2015
FOR SALE