On this past sunny, warm Saturday, I decided to take the Metro-North and 7 train into Manhattan. Instead of lying outside in a green area like Central Park, however, I wanted to see a brand-new art exhibit at Pleiades Gallery: “Whispers of Color,” created by artist Frederick Ballet. As I walked into the perceivably empty gallery, I was under the impression that I was completely alone. I was slightly startled to see the artist himself sitting behind the large, block-shaped desk. Ballet explained how his glossy, frameless photographs were created on what is called “face-mounted acrylics,” which are photographs that are printed and then carefully adhered to plexiglass.
After his explanation, I silently wandered around the gallery, perusing the art and trying to determine which ones caught my eye. One of the pieces stopped me in my tracks — a photograph of a crowded train station, with layer upon layer of blurred color. It reminded me of how I perceived the world as a child: colorful, chaotic and teeming with magic. As I told him how much I loved this particular photograph, Ballet pointed me toward his many pictures of the ocean, which held profound color and no trace of humanity in sight. He then told me that one of his patrons said those photographs felt like they captured Earth before humans civilized it, and I agreed. Ballet’s photographs add a touch of surrealism to everyday occurrences like these through his artistic vision.
Ballet has always had a fascination with the natural world. Ever since he was a child, he felt called to the ocean and was enamored by its beauty and calm. Although his keen interest in anatomy led him to become an orthopedic hand surgeon by trade, he began seriously pursuing photography upon retirement. While Ballet started his artistic journey using only digital photography, he recently began to make “encaustic paintings,” using his photography, like the ones displayed in this gallery. As stated in his bio, Ballet believes that “the true subject of the photograph is not the physical world, but rather the subconscious mind of the photographer.” This core tenet of his artistic philosophy is demonstrated clearly by his serene yet alive art.
As a child, I used to hate when my mom would drag me to museums and galleries, not understanding why she was so happy to stare aimlessly at paintings for hours. If I’m being frank, until this past year, I found museums boring. Although I found art intriguing, I did not understand the appeal of having it all in one space instead of online or in class. This past year, however, I have begun to love analyzing art with the help of the art history introduction class I took last year (shoutout to Professor Lakey). Art calms me and allows me to explore a world outside my own.
The “Whispers of Color” exhibit is no different. Ballet creates a world that merges Earth’s environment with surrealist art elements inspired by Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst. Unlike complex works, like the paintings of the Gothic period or the pre war German art at Neue Galerie New York, “Whispers of Color”’s superimposed photographs allow the viewer to choose their adventure using the world around them.
Throughout my whole time there, Ballet was kind and welcoming, helping me understand his art and inviting me to understand the intentions behind each piece. Though I was intimidated walking into the gallery, I slowly was able to get over my initial shyness and happily jot down notes from him. At the end, I got a Hershey’s chocolate from his large jar as well as the gallery’s business card, with a QR code leading to his personal website.
I truly enjoyed this exhibition. On a weekend when I was surrounded by rehearsals for Fordham University Choir’s upcoming performance at Carnegie Hall, I found solace and peace in these photographs, as well as the brick building in which they were placed. Especially because I went to the gallery alone, I felt like I found a hidden gem in the heart of Hudson Yards.
“Whispers of Color” opened on March 18, with its official opening reception on March 22. The exhibit will be available in the Pleiades Gallery until April 12. I highly recommend it as a low-key, reflective art experience contrasting New York’s more famous, crowded museums and galleries.
