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Gerry Vicky
Paint & Powder / Reflections of a
Broadway Actor
September 20 - October 12, 2001


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Press Release

NEW YORK (August 28, 2001) – Another facet of the artistry of Broadway actor Gerry Vichi, currently appearing as Pawnee Bill and Foster Wilson in the hit revival of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, is the focus of a new exhibition entitled “Paint and Powder/Reflections of a Broadway Actor”, opening September 20 at Gallery@49. Vichi’s first New York solo show will feature acrylic and mixed media paintings and drawings created over the past 2 years backstage, inside the actor’s dressing room at the Marquis Theater. A percentage of the sales proceeds will benefit “The Actors’ Fund of America”.

Recognized for his performances in other Broadway productions such as “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”, “Woman of the Year”, and “Anything Goes”, Vichi has also been painting and drawing since his student years at St. John’s University, when he became the art editor for the campus’ literary and arts magazine. “This experience piqued my interest in art”, says Vichi. “I marveled at the works of Klee, Kandinski, and others as a way of seeing reality in a different way. The drawings I made for the magazine were almost totally intuitive. I still don’t know what I’m going to draw or paint when I begin. One line leads to another; one color to another.”

Soon after starting his roles in Annie Get your Gun in 1999, Vichi began reorganizing the
space of his dressing room and quickly assembled a small studio stuffed with tubes of paint, easels and brushes, a first step to what was to become one of the most prolific seasons of his artistic pursuit. He feverishly exploited each and every moment spent at the theater, painting before and during the show, between scenes and at intermissions. Persuaded by his fellow actors, constantly hinting, half-jokingly, half-hopefully, for their portraits to be painted, Vichi gradually turned his gaze towards his colleagues. Always present, chatting and lingering as he was painting backstage, actors, dancers, wardrobe mistresses, musicians, conductors, and child wranglers, soon became the subject of Vichi’s work. What emerged is a collection of both blunt and candid, vigorously outlined cartoon-like portraits, all rendered with good cheer and generosity. ” I love people’s faces. Painting them energizes me”.

In addition to portraiture, Vichi has never ceased expanding his passion for pen and ink. Inside the dressing room hundreds of jazzy black and white or colorful drawings combining the free gesture of Expressionism with the humor of Graffiti art fill the walls and pages of sketchbooks. With an all over, hieroglyphic mix of symbols, patterns and figures often recalling the art of Klee, Haring and Twombly, Vichi’s drawings clearly materialize his prodigious capacity for graphic and painterly invention. “I like the idea of movement, change, mood shifting”, says Vichi with a smile, “I love the surprise of what happens.”

“Paint and Powder / Reflections of a Broadway Actor” will open with a public reception on Thursday, September 20th and will run through October 12th 2001. For further information or visual material please contact Monica Andreea at 212.767.0855