By Simeon Den
Bruce Kimerer moved to the California desert from New York nearly five years ago. Previously, his work focused on the landscape, portraying moody views of the Brooklyn waterfront and the rolling hills of rural upstate New York. Once here, his work changed dramatically. Gone were the misty atmospheres and soft edges replaced by a brightness and clarity, a direct response to the light, the color, and the geometry of the Palm Springs environment.
“plain air,” his solo exhibition of recent paintings opens Friday, February 10, from 5-7pm at the Simeon Den Gallery in the Perez Road Art and Design District. His paintings uniquely reference the minimalism of the Zen aesthetic and the “plein aire” style but with a distinctly American twist—his spare compositions depict the motifs of the American desert and particularly emblematic of the Palm Springs resort lifestyle. It could be said that they are visual haikus.
“I paint for myself,” he admits. “Each piece is a test, of sorts, to see if I can render the quotidian, commonplace scenes around me in a way that captures an essential element of air, light, and matter.”
Kimerer has exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York as well as gallery venues in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Coachella Valley.
“plain air” will be on view at Simeon Den Gallery through March 5th and available online at www.simeondengallery.com.
