New York City, September 1st, 1984
Ronny Cohen reviews Judy Rifka's latest set of paintings for the Artforum 1984 issue:
"Like Van Gogh, Rifka represents the universal dynamism of nature in the very interstices of the painting: what he did with his wonderfully fibrous brushstrokes, she does with the psychologically imposing physicality of her relief structure. The linen surface is stretched over plywood elements covered with wire mesh. It accommodates both the illusion and the reality of depth. Bits of oil pigment extend over the internal edges in the underlying structure, seeming to encapsulate the organic, untamable force of nature. The black-outlined forms and white shadows bathe the scene in a luminous light. The heightened optical sensations offered by the tremendously active and rhythmical surfaces of Builders and other paintings of similar format lie at the source of their fascination."
The full article can be found at Artforum.
