Uvi Poznansky at the Emeritus Gallery
Beginning Thursday, Sept. 19, Uvi Poznansky’s works are being displayed in a solo exhibition at the Emeritus Gallery. It showcases her paintings, mixed media, sculptures, and drawings, from her more recent paintings created in 2024, to a watercolor done in 1997.
The gallery being a small space, Poznansky’s works entrance whoever steps inside, from sculptures to paintings, ranging from watercolor to oil and in varying sizes. The walls are a crisp white that contrasts with the captivating colors from Poznansky’s paintings. Adjacent to wall one, an 18-inch-by-24-inch oil painting hangs delicately; titled “A Diamond Short, a Decade Late,” a skeleton is holding on to auburn colored flowers, opposing the primary blue used in the work. Stepping farther into the exhibition, the loudest noise being sneakers against the wood floor, or the door occasionally opening as people pass through, creates a peaceful atmosphere.
During the virtual gallery event, Poznansky was asked about “A Diamond Short, a Decade late.” Poznansky said, “The idea was this was a late lover. He has been away from his, um, girlfriend who was waiting patiently over the years and now that he’s old and fragile and needs help himself, he comes back to her, begging for her to take him in.”
“There is no more room to grow here anymore I” is a 48-inch-by-24-inch oil painting, with colors ranging from a royal blue to a bright yellow similar to the petals of a sunflower. The perspective of this painting is intriguing, as if captured from a fisheye lens. The piece shows a scene of a desolate hallway, the middle of the painting seeming to have more marigold-like colors.
Hanging next to that work, the second painting tells another story, titled “There is no more room to grow here anymore II,” a 48-inch-by-24-inch oil painting.
The second piece in the series is darker, the scene being black with yellow undertones to it. Nine humans crowd the painting, the hallway seemingly less lonely and less lit. There are nine figures drawn, five of which are clothed, four nude. One figure stands out compared to the others. In the middle of the canvas, the person is floating, alongside the others which are sitting, lying down, or standing. The different perspectives of each figure showcase Poznansky’s artistic skills for detail and anatomy.
On wall five, a dynamic melancholic painting hangs. In the 36-inch-by-60-inch oil painting titled “Katrina,” there's six figures in the midst of a hurricane reeling them in, shocked expressions painted across each of their faces. One person is swept inside, being carried by the storm. Delicate swirls of yellows, teals, and gray-like blues entrance the viewer. This painting is based off of Hurricane Katrina which formed on Aug. 23, 2005.
During an interview with Poznansky, she explained how color and texture help to convey messages in her artwork. “I think in my case, the color is less of importance than the light and shade because as a sculptor, I’m thinking of things in terms of the volumes. So, y’know, when I start a draft of any painting that I’m doing, I’m doing it on charcoal in white paper. So what I'm depicting is basically the volumes of the shapes.”
Poznansky also added, “Color is secondary in my case, but it does carry an emotional value. Red is very exciting, it’s the color of blood, the color of love. Blue, cool, receding; also, the colors can be used to show how things are closer to you or farther away.”
When asked if there is a particular piece in this exhibit that holds extra significance to Poznansky, she said, “The title is ‘Blue Muse.’ It’s a small painting of a portrait that is actually of my mother when she was a young adult, around 16 or 17 years old. She came from Poland and to Israel, and my father fell in love with her.”
Poznansky’s work will be on display at the Emeritus Gallery located on 2nd Street from Sept. 19 to Nov. 1. Each piece tells a story, but the beauty and skill shines through each work of art the same.