Event Spotlight: WET DREAMS, a solo exhibition by Fahren Feingold opening at The Untitled Space

#byLizPublika

Women. They make up over half of the human population, and yet plenty of people still don’t know what to make of them.

Historically, it was the men who defined what women ought to be and attempted to shape them accordingly. As a result, the male gaze — or the lens through which most men have viewed women — has led the narrative about female identity. But over the last few centuries, the emergence of female identifying artists in mainstream culture has inspired a new wave of creatives interested in exploring the concept further.

Curated by Indira Cesarine, WET DREAMS is a solo exhibition by Fahren Feingold that opens at The Untitled Space on October 21st. On view until November 13th, it offers a more liberal and nuanced perspective on the female form. The artist, who has been represented by the gallery since 2017, created her latest installment of works — on paper and panel — using her signature wet-on-wet watercolor technique. It’s bold. It’s sexy. And it’s unapologetically feminist.

When Cesarine first opened the Untitled Space, she wanted the gallery to serve as a platform for “exploring new ideas vis-à-vis traditional and new mediums and highlighting a program of women in art.” Thanks to Feingold’s unabashed and free-spirited nudes, she is one of the gallery’s most popular and in-demand artists. Her paintings mostly depict bold “ethereal forms,” making her an ideal embodiment of everything that the gallery and the gallerist stand for.

Previously, the L.A. native took inspiration from early 20th century French erotica and American magazines from the 70s and 80s. “I explore the relationships between beauty, sensuality, and nudity through my own female narrative lens,'' explains the artist. “I want my viewer to feel the colors of that expression. I want my watercolors to wash over them, gently inviting them to sink deeper into the subjects, not just in the erotic sense.”

But this show is different. Although WET DREAMS is Feingold’s third in person solo exhibition presented by The Untitled Space, she believes that it illustrates how much her practice has evolved over the years. Instead of using vintage images of women she’d never met, Feingold relied on the photos she took of her personal friends. Doing this, gave her a more realistic glance “at their real lives and presence.”

“By taking time to really look at and get to know the women, their stories, and their bodies, my paintings are like a love letter to my subjects, shared with the world so they can see what I feel. I don't literally paint my models but the emotions they radiate,” elaborates the artist. “Using watercolors to paint my bright and bold figures gives me access to those who usually shy away from nudity.”

Personally, I love the boldness of her color choices and the softness of the forms. But their size is also commanding of attention and respect. “For this exhibition, I worked on growing in scale, with several pieces on multiple panels. As a physically petite person, I struggle with feeling seen and heard,” states Feingold. “WET DREAMS is a demand for people to listen and see women as equals, while sharing the visual poetry of their unique intimate stories.”

Check out more from the artist at The Untitled Space and don’t forget to stop by the artist reception on October 21st, between 6pm and 8pm.

The Untitled Space

45 Lispenard Street, NYC 10013

Note* All of the event information and images are provided by our partners.