George Tun Sein's 'Gradual Rhapsody' exhibition at Tally Beck Contemporary showcases abstract paintings

From July 7 to August 30, 2011, Tally Beck Contemporary in New York City presented 'Gradual Rhapsody: The Paintings of George Tun Sein.' The exhibition featured works created over approximately fifteen years, including medium-sized oils, small oil pastels, and watercolors. Born in Burma in 1958 and educated in Australia, Tun Sein has exhibited internationally in India, Germany, Poland, Washington DC, and California. This marked only his second solo show in New York, despite being based in the area. The gallery, specializing in contemporary Southeast Asian artists, described the paintings as meditative, with qualities ranging from busy compositions to nearly monochromatic works. Notable pieces included 'Romance in Mandalay' (2010), an oil pastel with pale coloration; 'One Touch of Tan' (2002), an oil painting with thick, paste-like orange and yellow surfaces; and 'Green Doors' (1995), featuring various green shades with loose brushwork that evoked Andrew Marvell's poetry. Some works showed influences from artists like Paul Klee and Richard Diebenkorn, but the exhibition highlighted Tun Sein's talent, particularly in smaller pieces like the watercolor 'Windemere' (2011). The show explored how abstract painting can transcend cultural barriers while subtly reflecting the artist's synthesis of Eastern and Western experiences.