Two Special Exhibitions Set For Agora Gallery, 8/17

This August, Agora Gallery will introduce two exciting exhibitions. Scheduled to run from August 17 through September 7, The 2010 Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Exhibition will be on view in Gallery I and in Gallery ll, Portal: PAUL M. COTE a solo exhibition.

The 2010 Chelsea International Fine Art Competition exhibition features an incredible collection of artistic talent from around the globe. Working with photography, painting, sculpture, digital and installation art, these artists fashion their visions in the modern world using both traditional and cutting edge technologies, continually pushing the boundaries of creativity. This impressive selection of artists chosen by competition juror Megan Fontanella, Assistant Curator of the Guggenheim Museum, will thrill audiences looking to explore the abundant variety of the contemporary art scene.

Agora Gallery will donate 25% of its proceeds from the sale of artwork from this exhibition to Art Start (www.art-start.org). Art Start brings together art, artists and children in need throughout the New York Metropolitan Area.

Featured Artists:
Alina Alexandrovna, Evi Apostolou, Peter Baldinger, Roberto Bernardo, Denny Bond, Allen Bryan, Cassie Clements, M. Worrell / D. Mott, Gaspare Di Caro, Ferdinando Di Maso, Horacio Dowbley, Julio Stanly Flores, Jose A. Gallego, Edward Hahn, Eily K Jammy, Nick Kozak, Stephanie Kristofic, Jürgen Lechner, Claudia Ficca & Davide Luciano, Michael May, Hally McGehean, Víctor Meliá De Alba, Franco Monari, Losan Piatti, Allie Regan, Ruth Schreiber, Yea Jin Song, Peter Strobos, Alec Von Bargen, Sangeun Yu

Paul M. Cote stumbled upon art in his search to find his spirit and self. For him, art comes from an emotional place within, an unleashing of previously hidden energies that finally found a home on canvas. Borne from this discovery are Cote's signature topographic and planetary images that are at once real and surreal, brimming with color and energy. Elements and forms are imbued with meaning, a clashing of raw instinct and the cerebral that allows us to see the fire contained within.

Here the paint is not merely applied to the canvas. Rather, it is heavily layered, swirled around, rising and falling and creating elevation, texture, and an overall sculpted appearance. The resulting celestial visions are both primitive and elegant, eluding definition as images range from realistic renderings to abstractions. Colors span the spectrum and levels of intensity, from muted to vibrant, and forms are at times heavy but also delicate. Whatever the context, in the end Cote's canvases hum with energy, infused with a passion that has come to life through the layers of paint.

Exhibition Dates: August 17, 2010 - September 07, 2010
Reception: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, New York City
Gallery Hours: Tues - Sat, 11a.m. - 6 p.m.
Gallery I: http://www.agora-gallery.com/exhibitionannouncement/competition_8_17_2010.aspx
Gallery II: http://www.agora-gallery.com/exhibitionannouncement/8_17_2010.aspx

About Agora Gallery
Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery located in the heart of New York City's Chelsea art galleries district that was established in 1984 and is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. The gallery also publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of internationally talented emerging and mid-level artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews. Agora Gallery is also the sponsor of Art-Mine.com, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art from emerging, mid-level and well-established artists. Most recently, the gallery launched http://agoraartgalleryblog.com, a blog designed to provide helpful information and advice for artists while providing a forum for artists to help one another by sharing their experiences and thoughts.