Darina Karpov at Pierogi

For her first New York solo show, Darina Karpov exhibited 14 works on paper, the majority of them in watercolor, supplemented sporadically by ink and acrylic. Karpov paints a largely abstract tangle of tiny details, with bits of recognizable imagery appearing here and there against backgrounds of pale watercolor wash. These clusters of organic-looking material are placed at the center of the paper, but appear to be flying outward. Some of the titles Karpov employed in this show--Burst Open, Flutter and Tumble--provide an idea of the energetic, almost centrifugal movement that animates each piece. The effect is of a strong wind blowing in from somewhere, fraying the edges of these densely worked clusters and dispersing bits of branches, leaves and even buildings across the paper in chaotic fashion. These elements seem to spin around a central axis from which they have broken free, creating a look that is part spiraling galaxy and part bedraggled bird's nest during a storm. In this, Karpov's work brings to mind Ernesto Caivano's drawings of birds losing feathers in battles against gusts of wind.

Most notable is Karpov's skill in rendering minuscule, intricate detail. She uses tiny brushstrokes to describe her windswept masses; odd and unexpected figurative elements punctuate them. These narrative clues, which juxtapose the familiar with the unknown, are what allow Karpov's work to exist so convincingly between representation and abstraction, with, for example, fragmented lines turning into telephone poles and trees. Only by peering more closely still can one make out such minute details as fluttering ribbons, ladders, bird heads and, in one case, a broken necklace. There is a strong overall sense that some kind of ecological disaster is taking place.

The subtle washes of background color make each work distinct. While in the past Karpov has worked with a much bolder palette, using vivid yellows and reds, here she sticks to pale pastel hues which she occasionally accents with dashes of brighter color. The careful placement of the latter hints at the artist's graphic-design day job.

Karpov's whirling clusters have some of the dynamic movement of Inka Essenhigh's billowing, metamorphosing shapes, and indeed, transformation seems to be at the heart of Karpov's enterprise. Making her audience privy to moments of drastic change, she gives us the sense that we are the last to witness these creations before they finally unravel fully, disperse and take root elsewhere.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning