PHOTO CREDITS: DANIEL QUINTANILLA

Just as New York Fashion Week was getting underway on September 10, the Debbie Dickinson Gallery brought out the celebratory opening at Zadeh’s on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to reveal her latest “Alchemy” exhibition. “Alchemy”, we start out as being an ordinary figure unnoticed on the wall before evolving into someone we can’t miss. “Alchemy is at Zadah’s now until this Sunday, September 27. Debbie Dickinson and a VIP-curated guest list made their presence known for a warm happy hour and such involving evolution that we all cling to inspiration for. DANIEL PLUS LAUREN helped Debbie Dickinson kick off this thought provoking “Alchemy” moment up close and personal observing “Alchemy” effects on participating artist such as Stephanie Fuller, Michael Katz, Elena Seroff, and Anthony Haden-Guest.

Let’s start off with Stephanie Fuller who’s idea of “Alchemy” comes from taking her pen with Indian ink to display how a touch of pearls or even gin can enhance the upscale woman portrayed in the painting. The “Alchemy” idea according to Stephanie Fuller not only reaches near and far for the extraordinary privilege ladies Stephanie claims ownership of. All it takes are superficial items such as pearls or alcohol to inspire her lovely ladies to see the world in a different perspective.

With Michael Katz and his appreciation of saturated colors against Catherine M. Zadah’s organic jewelry collection, saturated colors speak volumes about “Alchemy” before time began. Michael Katz’s painting is animated by a charged balance between exuberance and restraint. Saturated yellows, reds, turquoise, violet and green push against passages of black and earthy brown, creating a pictorial space that feels at once open and densely inhabited. The work begins where forms emerge, overlap, dissolve and reappear, giving the painting the quality of something continually becoming.

What struck DANIEL PLUS LAUREN at Debbie Dickinson’s opening was Elena Seroff with “Adam & Eve”. DPL NY originally struggled with whether this was a recreation of “Adam & Eve” before, after, or the beginning of time. Yet Elena told me this was “Adam & Eve” in a positive light enjoying each other’s love without objection. With “Adam & Eve” according to Elena Seroff described in “Rebirth” in 3 parts, “Adam & Eve” in straight-up red and blue on canvas enjoys the evolution of true love.

And it would not be a Debbie Dickinson Gallery without the insight of Anthony Haden-Guest. The most straightforward artist of them all easily lays out “Alchemy” step-by-step fashion without leaving us art observers to our own devices. Anthony starts out his wit as one individual being someone unnoticed before another ink-and-pencil on canvas shows off their transformation into the real world. Anthony’s welcoming funny and acute wit based on personal experience truly settles in on the idea of “Alchemy” as a form of zero to hero without any guesswork left to hard interpretation.

DANIEL PLUS LAUREN cannot wrap up “Alchemy” without thanking Catherine M. Zadah for her organic jewelry and her retail space on 1244 Madison Avenue. ZADEH sees that LUXURY IS NOT A MASK. IT IS AN EXPOSURE. In a world obsessed with the fleeting—the “pretty face,” the trend, the temporary—ZADEH stands for the permanent. ZADEH does not design for the masses. ZADEH designs for the individual who has already arrived. ZADEH seeks to reveal you. Because at the end of the day, a face is just a face. But character? Character is the only thing worth wearing.

Debbie Dickinson, Diane Smith, and Gabriel Sanchez unite in heartfelt gratitude to our generous sponsors, collaborators, friends, and supporters. A very special thank you to Catherine M. Zadeh for welcoming our new gallery exhibition, and to Natalie Laudick and the Alzheimer’s Association Imagine Benefit for preserving memory and inspiring hope. Our sincerest thanks to Peter Thomas Roth; Aphrodise’s Gabi Petrylaite and Frank Schilling; Neuhaus Belgian Chocolates and Harriet Filippidis; Paola’s Restaurant and Stefano Marracino; Katherine Sempecos and Vasilis Mezini of Prism Medi-Spa; Bianca Brady and Gerald Riedler; Rubin & Chapelle; and all our generous sponsors who made this exhibition possible. Special thanks to Jose Zavala for our wonderful website and Evan Sebastian Lagache for the beautiful catalog, graphic design, and installation—the creative backbone of this exhibition.

And a very special thanks to Daniel Quintanilla over at DANIEL PLUS LAUREN for his talent, devotion, and commitment to quality writing and content of thought provoking art.

“Alchemy” by the Debbie Dickinson Gallery is on view at ZADEH’S from now until this Sunday, September 27. You can visit today through Friday. Closed Saturday. And one last chance to visit this Sunday. Don’t miss this exceptional show that supports the Alzheimer’s Association Imagine Benefit.

DANIEL QUINTANILLA