Shony Rivnay

Upcoming:
Shony Rivnay: the space between knowing

On view May 3-27, 2025

Curated by Naomi Lev

Opening Reception: Saturday May 3, 6-9 PM
Dance Performance: Saturday May 17, 6-9 PM
Conversation with Artist: Wednesday May 21, 6-8 PM

The TL Studio is proud to present a solo exhibition by artist Shony Rivnay.

In his book Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art Since Pollock, Kirk Varnedoe writes: “Abstract art is not a style, but a worldview. It is a way of looking at the world that sees not only things, but the spaces and energies between things.” Shony Rivnay exemplifies this statement with paintings that are vibrant and ever-evolving. The paintings are dynamic and unpredictable, a visual manifestation of constant movement, but, with sustained presence and observation, a profound stillness emerges. The vibrancy resolves into a centered, slow-motion dance, where Rivnay's abstract compositions transform across the canvas like molten lava, bubbling and burning in a deliberate, measured flow. 

Rivnay's process is fueled by internal experiences and the external world, a relentless inquiry into natural movements, transitions, and evolution. These exposed processes prompt us to consider the inherent idea of existence–if these compositions are alive they must be inextricably linked to time and place. Artist Sam Gilliam responded to a 2018 interview question, how can abstract art be political, by stating: "It messes with you, it convinces you that what you think isn’t all." Rivnay's paintings embody this disruption, revealing that what is perceived in one moment may dissolve into something entirely different the next. The compositions are elusive, intellectually stimulating, and demand a depth of abstract thinking that engages with concrete realities.  

Each painting is distinct and born of a specific moment, reminding us that art, like reality, is a tapestry of explicit viewpoints. Each piece is a world unto itself, connected only by the artist's hand, body, and the particular time and place of creation. The compositions create spaces where elements float, interact, detach, and resonate with an ever-presence. The compositions offer a dynamic perception of time, a constant interplay between softness and harshness, foreground and background, the edges of the canvas, the floating and the grounded. As Kirk Varnedoe observed, "Abstract art is not a form of utterance; it is not an art of self-expression or emotional release. It is a form of inquiry, of higher thinking, a mode of discovery. It is, at its core, about expanded perception and ways of seeing." While viewers may naturally seek to interpret these paintings through familiar lenses—objects, nature, emotions—their eventual true purpose is to liberate the mind and spirit, to embrace the confusion that Gilliam spoke of, and to experience the complexity of the permanent and deep unchanging reality.

The paintings align with the tradition of abstract art that prioritizes form, color, and composition over narrative representation. Echoing the revolutionary spirit of artists like Kandinsky, with his push and pull dynamics, Mondrian's tempo, Pollock's lack of hierarchy, Frankenthaler's vivid color motions, the explosive presence of Julie Mehretu, and Gordon Matta-Clark’s missing architecture and philosophical spaces, Rivnay is inspired by a lineage that has redefined the perception of art. These artists, through their performative acts, challenged traditional notions of representation, broke down the boundaries between art and life, and created new forms of expression. Rivnay, too, considers his work a performative act, where the size of the canvases, their being stretched or boundaryless, the space they occupy, and the rhythm and pace of his process, all contribute to a final experience.

"Fragments of things," Rivnay declares, "these are my paintings." The significance of each detail, whether a leaf's origin, a historical moment, or a geopolitical event, lies in its inclusion, its contextualization within the larger whole. "Be water," Rivnay quotes actor Bruce Lee, encapsulating his philosophy of artistic practice. "In my paintings, I plan things, but oftentimes I am wrong, and that’s when the good things appear." His plans, he acknowledges, are fleeting, subject to the unpredictable nature of the creative process. In the realm of Rivnay's art, each fragment, each moment, contributes to an ever-evolving, fluid understanding of existence, and the present moment. 

BIOS

Shony Rivnay is an interdisciplinary artist whose works revolve around painting, video, sculpture, and performance. He is a provocateur who challenges ways of thinking and seeing. Rivnay uses the various mediums to create interventions in space and time, react to current events, and to reflect on existential questions regarding our state of being. Rivnay has exhibited solo and group shows in numerous locations internationally, including: Bosi Contemporary (NYC); TEMP Art Space (NYC); Artists House Tel Aviv (TLV); Hamburger Bahnhof Museum Campus (Berlin); SPRING/BREAK Art Fair (NYC); Nulobaz Cooperative Art Space (TLV); Tavi Dresdner Gallery (TLV);  Youkobo Art Space (Tokyo); CICA Museum (South Korea); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (TLV); Shay Arye Gallery (TLV); Florentin 45 Contemporary Art Space (TLV); Beit Hatfutsot (IS); Negev Museum of Art (IS); and Ein Hod Museum of Art (IS), among others. Rivnay has participated at the prestigious I-Park Residency (USA), and HomeBase Residency (Germany). Rivnay’s works are in private and public collections worldwide. He holds a BFA from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem.
Shonyrivnay@gmail.com
@shonyrivnay

Naomi Lev is a curator, cultural program director, and arts writer with more than 15 years of experience overseeing exhibitions, creating programs and events, securing funding and partnership support for projects, and working with artists, curators, collectors, and community groups to expand access to and conversation about the contemporary art field. She has worked with museums, galleries, and entities in the United States and internationally to produce projects and events, including most recently as the Director and Chief Curator of EFA Project Space. She is the founder and lead organizer of two groups (Artists and Writers 4Ever and Collective_View) that provide collaborative connections for those working in the arts, and her practice focuses on socially engaged art and ideas. She has been a contributing writer/editor at Creative Time Reports, ARTFORUM, and The Brooklyn Rail, among other publications. She has served as a visiting critic/curator/juror for numerous institutions, including Hunter College, Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, Residency Unlimited, Parsons, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Bronx Council on the Arts, among others.
Naomilevoffice@gmail.com
@_naomilev_

About The TL Studio:
Following a long tradition from the likes of Andy Warhol to Gustave Courbet, Tyler Loftis opens his Tribeca painting studio to poets, musicians and other artists. 

The TL Studio
102 Franklin Street, #2, Tribeca, NYC

To visit the contact Michael Coleman, secondavearts@gmail.com
For press inquiries contact Naomi Lev, naomilevoffice@gmail.com