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Luisa Rabbia investigates human psyche at Midtown gallery show
By Alison Martin
December 17, 2014 

The Peter Blum Gallery in midtown is presenting a collection of new works by Luisa Rabbia for an exhibition titled Drawing. For this show, Rabbia presents several drawings, paintings, sculptures, and other mixed media works where she delves into the depth of the human soul and investigates how individuals relate to others and how they respond to their surrounding environment.

The color blue appears throughout many of Rabbia’s works, as it symbolizes the color of blood in the veins of the human vascular system. For instance, a series of works titled Worlds 1 and Worlds 2 respectively features a deep blue background and white pencil drawings of two heads on both halves of the image. Worlds 1 depicts the heads of two figures, one of them whose head is upside down on top, and directly on the flip side, on the bottom is another figure’s head. Both figures have what appears to be their hair tied in a bun that connects them. Similarly, Worlds 2 also features a flipside image of two figures connected by what appears to be their hair against a deep blue background.

Rabbia also presents pieces where she draws outlines of faces on rocks that she’s found. One sculpture titled Sunrise features a face lying on its side, and another face with the eyes closed, gently kissing the cheek of the face lying on its side. A similar, untitled sculpture features a figure sleeping, the face, a very light blue, with the hand over the mouth.

A diptych titled Sottopelle and another untitled piece feature distorted faces connected by intertwining roots. The facial skin symbolizes exaggerated psychological states. Similarly, a four-panel drawing titled NorthEastSouthWest features a group of roots floating in a violet-colored oval shape. At Peter Blum Gallery, 20 W. 57th St. through Feb. 7. The gallery is open Tues. – Fri. from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sat. from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.