About, and an Art Talk on Color
Yvette Cohen's artistic vision transcends traditional boundaries, melding two-dimensional forms with sculptural depth. Through her boldly colored painting-sculptures, which mount flat on walls sans frames, Cohen transforms shapes into dynamic canvases, challenging viewers' perceptions of dimensionality. Often presented in diptychs, triptychs, or polyptychs, her works activate their surroundings, expanding spatial awareness beyond their physical confines.
A native of Egypt, Cohen's multicultural upbringing in Paris and Montreal imbued her artistic journey with diverse influences. She honed her craft at Concordia University in Montreal under the tutelage of Guido Molinari, earning a BFA. Upon relocating to New York City, she furthered her education at esteemed institutions like the Art Student's League, the School of Visual Arts, and the Whitney seminars. A stint at the Bob Blackburn Printmaking Workshop deepened her exploration of lithography.
Cohen's work has garnered attention through exhibitions at prominent galleries such as Frosch & Co. and Ki Smith Gallery in New York City. Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, her art found a virtual stage in online exhibitions hosted by renowned venues like Jason McCoy Gallery and the Hammond Museum. Noteworthy site-specific installations at Cassina and Basta Pasta in New York City underscore her versatility in engaging diverse spaces.
In 2018, Ellen Fagan of Odetta Gallery showcased Cohen's innovative painting-sculptures from the Cassina installation alongside her latest creations, revitalizing these dynamic works in a larger gallery context. Cohen's artistic legacy extends into private collections across New York, Switzerland, Taiwan, France, and Japan, where her evocative pieces continue to resonate with viewers worldwide.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I use color and form to reinvent spatial language—to disrupt assumptions. My work transforms flat surfaces into immersive spatial experiences, where geometric forms shift, stretch, and defy expectations. Though I paint and draw, I think sculpturally—positioning each piece to engage in conversation with its surrounding space.
Simplicity and purity guide my process, but within that clarity lies complexity. I explore contradictions—balance and disruption, precision and unpredictability. My shaped paintings, made from acrylic or oil paint on canvas with wooden dowels, mount flat on the wall without the need for a frame. The bold, geometric structures create depth from a flat surface, hinting at infinite space.
Every composition is meticulously controlled yet open to interpretation. By redefining geometry and juxtaposing disparate angles, I invite viewers to see beyond the familiar—to question, engage, and experience space in new ways.
ATOA's 63rd Open Studio Three Woman Artists on Color featured Yvette Cohen. Organized by Monroe Hodder and moderated by Barry Kostrinsky. 6/28/2021