The Tyler Rollins Fine Art Gallery in Chelsea is currently presenting a series of works by Jimmy Ong in an exhibition titled Elo Progo, which is named for the Elo River and the Progo River, both located in Java, Indonesia. Ancient mythology has it that the Elo River embodies a male spirit and the Progo River embodies a female spirit.
For this most recent body of work, Ong offers short black and white films such as the nearly five minute long Sangam that centers on an Indonesian male and female stepping into a body of water surrounded by exotic plants.
Along with the short films, Ong presents several recent of works on paper completed in colored gouache which he refers to as Gerry Gender. Each painting in this series illustrate a design on one half of the image, and on the other half is a the exact same design, flipped around so the pieces appear as mirrored images. Some of these pieces are presented horizontally, while other are presented vertically. These intriguing and aesthetically pleasing patterns are paintings were created through a process of repeatedly folding the paper along an axis.
In both his videos and in his paintings, Ong incorporates themes revolving around transformation of identity, gender, and the human body. At The Tyler Rollins Fine Art Gallery, 529 W. 20th St. through Feb. 23. The gallery is open from Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
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