The Venue features abstract art

The Venue Fine Art & Gifts is featuring Marco Zehrung’s abstract acrylic paintings in an exhibit titled “Articulture” until Thursday.

Zehrung describes his paintings as “non-figurative abstract.”

Venue curator Gabriel Colman said this show is a departure from Zehrung’s
past work.

“He’s been very minimalist in the past,” Colman said. “Now, he’s getting into more surrealistic suggestion of actual representations as opposed to purely abstract.”

“Articulture” opened during the Downtown Bloomington Gallery Walk on Aug. 3.
Colman said the response to Zehrung’s work during the walk was positive.

“We had people come in and they didn’t just browse and then take off,” Colman said. “They stayed centered in the room.”

“Articulture” bursts with color and balances minimalism with abstraction.

“Along the Trail” is one of the least abstract paintings on exhibit, featuring a simple, mountainous landscape. A bird’s shadow contrasts with a red, turquoise and yellow sky.

Conversely, “Reflecting” is minimalistic. A single, horizontal line cuts through the center of the painting. Bright green, red and yellow hues draw the viewer in.

Zehrung’s past exhibitions have been successful in Bloomington, Colman said. The Venue has featured Zehrung’s art twice before and will continue to do so throughout the year.

The Venue also coordinated a reception Aug. 10, but Zehrung was not in attendance.

Colman said the Venue follows a “rule of thumb” when choosing artists to feature — the work must be dynamic for the viewer. He says Zehrung doesn’t disappoint.

“He’s very captivating,” Coleman said. “His color is vivid, and his forms are a lot like clouds. It continues to shift for the viewer.”

Other paintings on exhibit, such as “Urban Life,” “Escape Your Mind” and “In A Dream,” bristle with a variety of blues, yellows and oranges.

In addition to being visually pleasing, Colman said Zehrung’s work always sells.
“That’s very important,” Colman said. “Buy local art.”

— Kate Thacker