
Elliott Elgart
Ceeje Gallery
Elliott Elgart chooses to paint the world of domestic activity that surrounds him: Sarah in Sunlight, Woman Ironing, Woman With Ham Sandwich, Seated Man, Interior With Two Figures. They are large canvases for the most part, most often conceived with a quick brushing. The tonality tends to be low except where sunlight breaks into a darkened interior or where areas of bold color arbitrarily maintain themselves, countering all illusion of depth that is implied in the linear perspectives. Throughout the several canvases there are many passages of good painting, of form articulated with a minimum of effort, of brilliant effect. Yet, as total units, the works are disappointing. Elgart seems to be more interested in technical freedom as an end in itself than in the image or in the resolution of any organic wholeness of the composition. There is no real involvement of the artist. There is only a careless concern for the empty mediocrity of living.

