Bannerman Island Art Gallery

The Bannerman Castle Trust Inc. presents

“The Beacon Series” New Works by Artist, Johan Ayoob at Bannerman Island Gallery in Beacon, NY 

August 13 – September 25, 2022

The Bannerman Island Gallery located at 150 Main Street in Beacon, NY is pleased to present “The Beacon Series” – an extraordinary exhibition of thought-provoking Fine Art drawings by Beacon, NY artist and resident Johan Ayoob.  The exhibition will be on view in the gallery from Saturday, August 13^th through Sunday, September 25^th.

This remarkable show exemplifies what it means for an artist to have both extraordinary technical drawing skills and an amazing and vivid imagination – a rarity among artists.  Each work fascinates and stirs the viewer by its powerful statement, or by telling a compelling story.  These very unusual and unique one-of-a-kind works will be available for purchase.  Fifty percent of the proceeds from gallery sales will be generously allocated for important restoration work on Bannerman’s Island in the Hudson River Highlands.

A resident of Beacon for 35 years, Johan Ayoob worked from hand-drawn preliminaries, photographs and CG models in order to create the Beacon Series. The drawings were executed with a range of graphite pencils, powdered graphite, and white conte chalk on paper. An initial series of eight drawings, the result of five years’ work, were exhibited in 2018. The current exhibit adds an additional three.  

ABOUT THE BEACON SERIES – The artist states: “With their free juxtaposition of fantasy and realism, the drawings in this series disclose dimensions of Beacon both imaginary and topographical. Their precise, accurate delineation of city topography is matched by their innovative articulation of fears and anxieties residing in the urban unconscious. Metaphor, allegory, the improbable and the absurd, are used expressively to draw our attention to the conflicted meanings within the city’s spaces and volumes. Many themes found in the drawings assume special relevance in the context of Beacon’s gentrification-driven transformation, including the loss of valued architecture, fear of displacement, climate change, and the resistance of nature against the incursion of development”. 

An opening reception for the public to meet and greet the artist will be held on Saturday, August 13^th from 6:00 – 8:00pm.   Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibition are Saturdays & Sundays, 12:00noon – 5:00pm and weekday afternoons and early evenings (by chance or appointment). Group tours for classes and other organizations can also be scheduled.  For more information on this exhibition, or to make an appointment, please call Bannerman Castle Trust Exhibition Coordinator Laurie Clark at (845) 416-8342.  Thank you!   

Contact:  Exhibition Coordinator, Laurie Clark, 845-416-8342 or Executive Director, Neil Caplan, 845-831-6346