Artist Alexander Yulish & “The Space In Between”
There is perhaps nothing more indicative of a quintessential New York night than the attendance of a bustling opening reception filled to the brim with a unique cast of characters who foster a simultaneous appreciation of wonder for the eye. The classically trained art critics, photographers, editors, budding fashion designers, and acquaintances of all sorts mix in within one enormous boiling pot of creative and expressive splendor. Within the mighty roar of the press, conversations commence regarding creating space for a specific location within their homes for the art.
Alexander Yulish The Day Finds You Today, 2023, 78 x 78”, acrylic on canvas.
The art on view brought forth a feeling of calm as I glided through the gallery before being affected by bursts of excitement that came forth through the use of primary colors. The essence of liveliness and vitality radiated from stillness, as was the case with the commanding painting, The Blue Dream that exudes a visceral immediacy with its small explosions of yellow flowers. There was a figurative abstraction at play in the contrast that led to an emotional unpredictability, thus making the painting exciting at moments with the underlining vibrancy of turquoise in the background. The Red Couch, due to the range of warm tones, evokes the spirit of familial, an unconditional love that occurs with the routine of an immediate family settling into rest after a long day apart. Within this heated scene are two central figures, with a small figure gleefully observing who is presumed to be his elders or parents.
Yulish’s work is at its core unpredictable, shocking, and comforting all at the same time. His work is a dynamic play of opposites.
Alexander Yulish with his artist mother, Barbara Pearlman.
Gallery AP Space, Exhibition View
Artworks such as The Secret Swoon and The Relationship possess a continuous underlying motif of delicate interconnectedness. The works represent what it means to be human, with literal interpretations of the tensions that come along with it illustrated on canvas. It is playful at first glance, but underneath there is isolation. This distinct juxtaposition pushes and pulls between feelings of excitement and joy at one instant, with sharp pain following shortly after.
Artist Alexander Yulish’s latest exhibition entitled “The Space In Between,” which debuted on February 15th at Chelsea’s Gallery AP Space and is open until March 15th is a cohesive family birthed directly from the artist’s subconscious, a concept that he claims to have taken over him leaving the artist no choice but to express himself on canvas.
Alexander Yulish It All Happens So Fast, 2023, 72 x 36”, acrylic on canvas.
“The only thing I know in this world that is completely true is to just show up; don't wait for inspiration because that is the most mercurial thing you can do. Open the door, get in there, and start. Even if you don’t paint, go on your journey, and be comfortable finding what that is for yourself.”
–Alexander Yulish–
Certainly, no stranger to the use of vivid hues in his works, this largest body of work by Yulish aims to shine a light on the “in between,” or middle ground of concepts such as hardness and softness, as well as distance versus proximity.
Spread out between two floors, the most discerning observers marveled at Alexander’s masterful portrayal of contradictions within each painting. It was easy to be transported and transfixed among many of his large-scale creations. There is a childlike playfulness that seems to have flown directly from the street onto the canvas, originating from a suburban cement sidewalk where small children use chalk to play. Sporadic objects such as a window, a chair, a vase of flowers, and tables identify primarily with a traditional home and possess hidden meanings in each.
Alexander Yulish The Red Couch, 2023, 72 x 100”, acrylic on canvas.
For Yulish, inspiration flows naturally once the task of working has begun; once the inspiration begins, it must continue until the revelation has occurred.
“The only thing I know in this world that is completely true is to just show up; don't wait for inspiration because that is the most mercurial thing you can do. Open the door, get in there, and start. Even if you don’t paint, go on your journey, and be comfortable finding what that is for yourself.” — Alexander Yulish
Alexander Yulish Moving Through This World, 2030, 60 x 144” acrylic on canvas.