An exhibition about the underlying complexity of paintings with a deceptively simple aesthetic.
La Bibi is proud to present “My Kid Could Do It,” an exhibition curated by Ludovica Capobianco that challenges the perception of childlike artworks. Featuring established and emerging artists that use color and composition to create a visual language that is both inviting and thought-provoking, the show explores the delicate balance between simplicity and complexity.
Anyone involved in the art world has at least once heard the comment “I could do it” or “My kid could do it”. The phrase is usually met with sarcasm, since it highlights a very superficial approach and lack of comprehension for the complexity behind making art, especially painting.
Historically, a painting’s value was based on the artist’s technical skills and its closeness to reality, but in modern times the common notions that would define quality in an artwork have been overturned. Painting nowadays is based on the conversation about what happens behind and beyond the image to dive in the artist’s subconscious and deliver a deeper meaning.
The inscrutability of contemporary art has led many to criticize it based on the seemingly chaotic aesthetic of some paintings, without looking at the actual complex balance behind it. Every brushstroke has its place, and the final result is accomplished when nothing could be added or removed. Furthermore, abstraction and figuration can harmoniously coexist in the same artwork. This absence of technical rules has opened the realm of art to infinite possibilities, freeing artists from having to define their practice and allowing it to be open to interpretation.
On the surface, these works may seem naive and unsophisticated, as if drawn by a child with little regard for traditional rules of art. But upon closer inspection, the paintings reveal a depth of expression and skill that is both surprising and impressive. Using a minimalistic style, each artist creates bold forms and vibrant colors that interact with one another in unique and unexpected ways.
Featuring works by Szabolcs Bozo, Marco Paul Lorenzetti, Andreas Emenius, Christina Sucgang, Jason Fox, Thomas Dillon, Manu Garcia Ernandez, Katherine Bernhardt, Ella Kruglyanskaya and Felix Treadwell, “My Kid Could Do It” aims at offering a fresh perspective on the current state of contemporary art, challenging viewers to look beyond the surface and see the intricate interplay of form and color that lies beneath. Through the works, the public is encouraged to reconsider their assumptions about what constitutes true artistic expression, and to appreciate the beauty that can be found in the unexpected.