Gallery Review- Koak at Altman Siegal
Left: Trimmed, Center: Bench, Right: Moet and Bridge
Photo courtesy of the Artist and Altman Siegel Gallery
Koak Return to Feeling Exhibit, Altman Siegel Gallery
By Timothy LeBlanc
Return to Feeling by Koak was a masterwork of a show presented by Altman Siegel in San Francisco from March to May 2020. It was her first show with the gallery and was a near-perfect example of her work. Before getting too far into the works present here, it seems worth noting that I am a man commenting on the work of an artist who solely depicts the female form. I have previously written about Paul Sepuya’s book which feels like an inverse of Koak in that he is a man heavily focused on the male form. Since I write from my own point of view (as it’s the only thing I can truly know), this article cannot talk about shared experiences I have with Koak as a woman, but instead will focus on how I see the art and the show as a whole. There are feelings shown in her work with which I connect and all people should feel connected – for all our differences, we are all human and all have the ability to be more in-tune with ourselves.
Koak is an artist whose practice has found its home in depicting the female form in a unique style. The only comparison of any value is to that of Matisse’s draftsmanship. Unlike the figures he depicts, Koak instills a strength of character, and sometimes physical strength, into each work. The pieces at Altman Siegel range from drawings to paintings; small, monumental, and somewhere in-between, and a relatively new addition to her practice, sculpture. All the pieces are intertwined in such a way that one can get a feel for the touch of the artist, something present in her works over the years. This exhibit is a continuation and expansion of her wonderful practice and presented by an amazing gallery in a partnership that seems well-suited to both parties.
The first room of the show was populated with paintings completed in early 2020 as well as the singular piece of sculpture included in the show (more on that later). The paintings were simply breathtaking. As I moved into the space, my eyes were met by a pair of portraits Moat and Bridge, the first two works made for this exhibit, hung close to each other to emphasize their dual nature. Through the body language of each figure, the viewer senses a tension that permeates the show, Moat being tentatively open and Bridge curiously closed off.
Having Feelings,
Photo courtesy of the Artist and Altman Siegel Gallery
Another painting in this first room was the stunner of the show. The monumental (84”x108”) Having Feelings dominated an entire wall of the space. It drew you in with its central female form showing those feelings not only by crying but by writhing along the floor. Her body pops off the white background, its outline rendered in stark black lines. Inside of those is flesh as fluid as the tears on her face. All of the expression is set in a domestic interior, a counterpoint to her in its simplicity – a white field with only soft blues to delineate any structure to its space. Along the mantle are two pots reminiscent of roman vases populated with Koak figures, both of which are real highlights which could be overlooked by wondering eyes.
Bench,
Photo courtesy of the Artist and Altman Siegel Gallery
In the center of this initial gallery space, sat a bench of cast bronze with a wide walnut slab seat. Deceptively simple in form and in title, Bench (2020), was overlooked by many but drew me in. At the opening, people swarmed around it, looking at the paintings previously talked about but very few spending time engaging with this sculpture/bench. Honestly, it is hard to do so at an opening, but that’s why I show up early and stay a bit late. Those who did spend time with Bench, though, were met with a different sort of experience. This piece brought in a level of tactility, so important to this show that could only be experienced by having something with which the viewer could interact. Each bronze piece forms a polished pair of hands, their fingers coming almost together in touch. Frozen there, just inches from each other, they invoke an intimacy. Our world has become devoid of much of the physical contact that was once common as so much has gone digital. This is doubly true in this time of COVID-19 and how it has changed what touch means to us. While those hands were polished smooth, the arm which wiggled its way up and around connecting the two hands while forming the armrest was left rough. Its texture appeared to be the hand working of the artist literally giving this work her touch.
Where the front room was sparsely hung with large works, the back room was full of 21 15”x11” drawings, each more engaging than the last. The drawings were much more about shared touch and experiences than in the first room. Where the front room was focused on individuals, the backroom showed pair or groups. As I walked through looking at each one, it was clear to see the mastery that Koak has over this medium as well. All of them felt like little vignettes into the lives of the women they depict. Drawings like 1999, Vampire, and The Pond, were all very different but were highlights of the show.
1999,
Photo courtesy of the Artist and Altman Siegel Gallery
The Pond,
Photo courtesy of the Artist and Altman Siegel Gallery
Every drawing also had the words of the artist on the back, invisible in the presentation though Altman Siegel ingeniously produced a supplemental available for purchase that included shots of both the front and back of the majority of the drawings. In these writings, you could get a feel for not only the work of Koak but for her person. They are filled with poems, sketches, doodles, even little notes from the days they were made. While one can no longer go and see the whole presentation, I recommend everyone reach out to Altman Siegel and get the supplemental to read Koak’s own words.