Piero Spadaro: Razzle Dazzle
February 8 – March 17, 2017
Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 8, 5:30 – 7:30

Andrea Schwartz Gallery is pleased to announce the first solo exhibition by Piero Spadaro entitled Razzle Dazzle.

Piero Spadaro enlists assorted materials such as glitter, textured paper, ground pigment, acrylic, and resin to mastermind dimensional, deeply layered paintings, that throughout his earlier iterations pair with the optical allusions of the color field tradition. Now, his paintings embody an additional twist integrating abstract geometric forms inspired by gemological patterns. Spadaro’s process is that of repeating arrangements and elevations.

As the exhibition title, Razzle Dazzle implies, this body of work consists of illuminating gem hued resin coated paintings that are at times disorienting, yet always loud, upfront, and seductive. The term “razzle dazzle” can be traced back to nautical warfare during WWI when battle ships and submarines were equipped with mirrors and other distracting camouflage.

Today, “Razzle Dazzle” implies being flashy, “blinged out”, over the top, and boisterous. Spadaro uses the modern day connotation to influence his titles, appropriated expressions from popular culture such as “YAAAAAS”, “On Fleek”, and “Squad Goals”.