Elizabeth Jaeger in Blouin Artinfo

Jack Hanley Gallery is hosting ELIZABETH JAEGER’s “Hours,” in New York. The exhibition is on view through February 10, 2019.

“The exhibition draws on a very intriguing thought, the ‘Hours’ spent in the making of an image, especially that of a portrait, in which the sitters have to have long hours of patience in order to get their expressions drawn. They have to hold their hours and seem absolutely one with a single moment, the moment they are about to be immortalized,” the gallery says.

One of the sitters of ELIZABETH JAEGER’s Maia, says, “Sitting for a portrait can be quite adventurous. It requires the time, patience, and a stillness that goes against the usual day-to-day routine. I try to be as relaxed as possible. I start to think about parts of my body I usually don’t consider — my ears, my shins, my hairline. I start to feel sections of my body as I follow the artist’s eyes. I drift in and I drift out. My eyes dance around as I try to stay focused. I think about how my clothes sit on the body. It covers most of my skin, hanging off my shoulders. I breathe slowly and I can feel the air in my nostrils. It brushes against the hair follicles. I can feel the beat in my chest. It pumps blood that rolls through my veins, I can start to feel how busy my body must be. I am conscious of how many times I blink my eyes. I wet my lips. I start fantasizing, and I am still.”

Another sitter of ELIZABETH JAEGER explains her experience with the artist. “To pose for an artist is an act of surrender, like falling asleep in someone’s arms. Under the artist’s silent gaze, you become aware of their gradual transformation of your physical self into a flat image that becomes a kind of imprint of their sustained observation,” says Chrissie.

ELIZABETH JAEGER’s “Hours” is on view through February 10, 2019, at Jack Hanley Gallery, 327 Broome Street, New York, NY 10002.

Elizabeth Jaeger in Blouin Artinfo