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Andrea Schwartz Gallery: John Belingheri.

Review by Kate Watkins: John Berlingheri's work, as he explains in his artist statement, represents a process where he is struggling to find a connection, or meaning, between his conscious and unconscious thoughts. The paintings, all mixed media on canvas, project a sense of control as well as a sense of looseness and freedom. According to Berlingheri, "There is an inter-relationship of form, process, contradictions and turmoil reflected in my paintings. Complete stability and utter chaos describe any system." This idea nicely summarizes what his paintings ultimately project to the viewer. One on hand, the artist has control over the color and composition of each painting. But on the other hand, he relinquishes some of that control as the layers begin to develop and converge, forming an uneven and rough surface.

In general, the paintings that visibly look thicker and obviously contain more layering stand out from the rest of the group. For example, the heavy use of layering and intricate detail in Berlingheri's piece, "Volverse Un Ocho," makes the overall result more intriguing. Conceptually, this piece is the most interesting because it offers more stimulation and curiosity to the viewer. As a group, all of the paintings contain a strong aesthetic quality. But, when compared to the other pieces, "Volverse Un Ocho," most definitely raises the bar to a more progressive level. The complexity of layers, along with its large scale, makes this painting more fascinating and not as "obvious" as the others.

Like "Volverse Un Ocho," the other large-scale paintings, are more successful because of their complexity. The process of building, sanding, and then rebuilding of layers that Berlingheri works with is most clearly demonstrated through the larger pieces. "Havana," is another example of work that interacts more with the viewer due to its large scale. This painting also shows that the artist has a good understanding for color and composition. In general, the color schemes that Berlingheri selects work very well in each of the pieces. The colors, along with the shiny textured surfaces, play a huge part in the overall presentation of his paintings. "Decibel" and "Tundra" are two other examples that show Berlingheri's skillful use of color and composition.

Individually, the paintings are aesthetically pleasing and work to a certain degree because of the artist's strong understanding and appreciation for color and composition. As a group, however, they become somewhat monotonous and begin to lose their value. Berlingheri might consider applying a little more "Volverse Un Ocho" to all of his work. Adding layers, shapes and colors to the canvas would likely enhance the process and product for both artist and viewer.