On 31 October 2009 the Mary Boone Gallery will open at its Chelsea location “Corrida in
Ronda”, an exhibition of paintings by ERIC FISCHL.
The subject of this new series is the Corrida Goyesca held each September in the
Andalusian town of Ronda. The toreros, or bullfighters, dress in 18th century attire as in
the era of the Spanish painter Goya, who designed their distinctive costume. This
theatrical and picturesque tradition, rich in the history of art and literature, persists in the
face of increasing sentiment that it is outdated and inhumane.
As in his earlier depictions of suburban America, the French Riviera, India, and Rome,
Fischl here captures particular customs through color, viewpoint, and attention to
ritualized gestures. Working from his own photographs, in these eight large paintings
Fischl situates the bull as the crux of each composition. The intense Mediterranean light
is devised to sharply divide each image between areas of dazzling color and dark shadow
enlivened by Fischl’s characteristically deft handling of paint.