New York, NY – Louis K. Meisel Gallery is proud to present SKIN, a selection of works dedicated to the female nude, the most timeless subject matter in fine art. The show brings together a variety of paintings, drawings and sculptures by our roster of artists, including Mel Ramos, John Kacere, Brian Booth Craig, Yigal Ozeri, and Bernardo Torrens. Emerging from the visual language of realism, these artworks bring a contemporary approach to a classical subject.

Through variations in medium, style, and composition, each piece showcases a distinct artistic voice that offers a unique interpretation on the themes of femininity, intimacy and sensuality. Artworks by Bernardo Torrens meticulously record the play of light on skin with his signature style of a monochromatic, black-and-white palette. Executed in high contrast against a bare background, his intimate studio portraits draw the viewer’s attention to the sinuous lines and contours of bare form. In contrast to Torrens’ minimalist approach, Yigal Ozeri uses natural light and candid poses to create a sense of movement and spontaneity. He photographs his subjects in forests, integrating them into the lush environments; his use of soft focus blurs boundaries, uniting nature and female form.

Brian Booth Craig, who draws upon the verist tradition of sculpture, works in bronze and adheres to the highest standards of figurative sculpture. He provides a fresh take on the subject matter by depicting each model in a confident stance with a defiant gaze, delegating a sense of control to his subjects. The nude form is presented through self-assertion rather than vulnerability, shifting the roles between the observer and the observed. Rather than playing a passive role of an object on display, his models possess a sense of agency that allows them to guide the narrative.

Deeply rooted in the mores of art history, SKIN celebrates the female form as an endless source of artistic inspiration. SKIN will be on display at 141 Prince Street, New York, NY, from 8 January to 14 February, Tuesday through Saturday, between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm. For further information, please contact gallery@meisels.com.