6:21

“But in New York, there’s always this humming kind of feeling, a kind of pulse, that even shakes your home. When I get off the plane in New York, apart from having the feeling of getting home, I also feel this worm in my stomach telling me to be in the studio. And somehow it activates your nerve cells. It makes you think how fortunate you are, to have painted your latest painting.” — Juan Uslé

As New York City slowly emerges from quarantine, it can be instructive to be reminded of why we put up with it in the first place. In this clip from a 2008 documentary on the great Spanish painter Juan Uslé, he describes the inspiration and energy he receives from being in New York City, especially in contrast to the more bucolic setting of his studio in Spain. Galerie Lelong in New York recently announced that they are representing Uslé in New York, and launched an online viewing room with new works to mark the occasion (through June 18, 2020). This clip from the documentary Juan Uslé – produced by the CAC Málaga on the occasion of a major exhibition in 2007 – comes courtesy of Galerie Lelong.

From Galerie Lelong:

Juan Uslé is widely recognized for vivid paintings and works on paper that engage the viewer with entrancing rhythmic patterns. These patterns are composed of systematic brushstrokes that exist in a dual state: embracing repetition while practicing singularity. Sourcing inspiration from memories both lived and dreamt, these patterns can be evocative of the vibrations in bustling New York City; echo the fluidity of bodies of water; or serve as a transcript of real time through a filmstrip-like recording of the artist’s own heartbeat. In over forty years, Uslé has approached his medium, which includes painting and photography, through representational and abstract lenses. In more recent years, the use of light to generate emotion rather than volume has been a central focus for the artist.