Delaware Art Museum review; 2018 POINT COUNTER-POINT
Rooted in the tradition of Abstract Expressionism, the work of Alan Soffer is as much about the vibrant interplay of color and form as it is about evoking a distinct atmosphere. In his layered and often tactile paintings, the concrete and clearly defined can seamlessly transition into something allusive and amorphous, as if evaporating and being absorbed by the composition at large. Soffer addresses, describes and resolves, going-back and forth between intuition and careful editorial decision-making. It seems that to him, chance and structure are not opposing forces, but rather two equally necessary ingredients for forming a potent dialogue.
In this particular installation, Soffer focuses on gesture. His paintings are of a restrained palette and it is instead the fluidity of paint, the many expressive (perhaps accidental, perhaps intentional spills and drips) that take center stage. Elegant in their simplicity, they evoke the ink washes of David Smith and gouaches of Robert Motherwell, but the space is always Soffer’s own. His works are characterized by the denial of the confines of the picture plane; it is easy to imagine his compositions extending beyond the measurements of the stretcher. By further introducing a selection of fine, detailed sculptures to this exhibition, Soffer brings his work full circle. However, by now, his three-dimensional work translates as an extension of his well-established vocabulary. At times, these somewhat whimsical and de-saturated constructs made of wood, metal, wire and paint, seem like manifestations of some of Soffer’s gestural drawings. Even if these sculptures did not literally step out of Soffer’s paintings, they are certainly grounded within the infinite worlds described by them.
STEPHANIE BUHMANN, gallery director, NYC
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NY Arts Magazine & Broadway Gallery Oct, 2012
I love the moving, sublime qualities in your abstract paintings. Each of your works is incredibly elemental. Using sensuous, romantic colors they convey a rich passion that is compelling. Collectively, your contemporary works are vivid, expressionist paintings that communicate profound feelings to the viewer.
Anna Hewitt
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Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof's artblog
Diverse Meanderings at CFEVA
By chip schwartz | January 25, 2011
Alan Soffer’s encaustic pieces, while much smaller than Puri’s work, are still heavy-hitters. Warped wax and viscous hues ooze in various directions across the surface of his works, effectively thumbing their nose at physics.
Alan Soffer, Militarized/Demilitarized, 2008, encaustic on board, 32” x 32”
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