THE BROOKLYN RAIL

Each abstract painting in Liliane Tomasko’s Poem Things, on view at Nino Mier Gallery, uses forms and colors to construct a distinct emotional presence. The show’s title references the German concept “Dinggedicht,” which suggests that every object carries its own independent life. Tomasko illustrates this by making her art its own subject, constructing portraits of brushstrokes and embedding value into color and forms.  

Large colorwork paintings adorn the walls of the gallery’s first room, interspersed by lines from Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem, “Evening.” Each of these is titled Poem Thing, and their grandeur allows for each brushstroke to be closely examined. Some look frayed by bristle lines, while others layer ghostly, translucent shapes of color. Tomasko uses both acrylic and acrylic spray paint, and her bold colors are often imbued with a softness due to the texture of the spray. Geometric and organic forms coexist on these canvases as do surprising color combinations. An arc of baby blue mixed with turquoise is calming while red shapes of mushrooms excite. Relationships are formed between brushstrokes.