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| Image of Marcus Hunter's Monkey See Monkey Do.via artinfluxharlem.com. |
May 6 – June 30, 2014
Opening reception: Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 7 – 9PM
ALOFT HARLEM
2296 Frederick Douglass
Boulevard (between 123rd & 124th Streets)
New York, NY
Featured Artists: Andre Woolery, LeRone B. Wilson,
Marcus Hunter, Michael Ricardo Andreev, Sorin Abraham, Stan Squirewell, Tomo Mori, Walter Lobyn Hamilton and Yaron Dotan.
Press release from
artinfluxharlem.com:
The Black & White
Show features monochromatic works rendered in a mixed variety of media. The artists work in
code and nuances, parities and disparities using textures, lines, contrast and
movement to explore ideas and theories.
Marcus Hunter presents a series of intricate and obscure pen and ink
drawings. His work engages critical theories of race, gender and sexuality
through the frenzy of dichotomy playing off themes of race, religion and mania
to explore notions of identity and social disturbance.
Yaron Dotan also works in pen and ink but on a much larger scale. He
uses a language of optical illusions as a vehicle to express moments of
uncertainty and lack of clarity in relationships. We count on the eye for
accurate reporting, but like the complexity of human bonds, vision too can be a
source of mystification. Yaron is
firstly a portrait artist but constantly experiments with subject matter and style. He strives to capture the nuances and
surprises hidden beneath carefully manicured surfaces. The viewer is left to determine the narrative
in Yaron’s drawings as in “She Is Here” where one might wonder if she has
arrived at her destiny or if she remains in a state of searching for self.
LeRone Wilson’s
work displays a medley of textures that stimulate the senses. He melts beeswax with resin, carnauba and
pigment then applies this to a canvas with different size palette knives
creating a highly texturized image that is both precise and organic. It is this texture that invokes a heightened
emotion or sensation in the observer.
Each groove or undulation is not just a thing of beauty to be admired
from a distance, but something we feel connected to through the expression of
touch.
In their collaborative project, Decoded, Sorin Abraham and Michael
Ricardo Andreev explore through photography and symbols, the notion of art as
mediated through 'languages' in which meaning is conveyed by indirect reference
and symbolic representation. These two
artists developed an elaborate 'language' of symbols that reference specific and
often abstract, ideas as a means of framing their concept in a manner that is
reminiscent of Asian pictographic languages. The symbols, designed by Michael, are overlaid
on Sorin’s photographs, which are influenced by European classic master
painters and their use of subtle symbolism in visual storytelling.
The other artists in Black &
White use various forms of texture and mixed media to present images and
abstract ideas. Andre Woolery uses pushpins
to reveal the current matrix of society reflecting mainly on the digital
convergence on the modern world and black culture. In this exhibit Andre has taken a departure
from shading with pushpins in vibrant colors and uses space instead to
accomplish a representation of Grace Jones.
Walter Lobyn Hamilton smashes, cuts and manipulates vinyl records in his
depiction of Jimi Hendrix, while Tomo Mori creates an entirely black, abstract
piece in mosaic titled, Black Dream. Stan Squirewell fuses African
culture, symbols, and traditions with contemporary technology blending
photography, paint and sculptural elements revealing a clear path from
ancestral influences to the present-day.
Kennedy Yanko
who will be painting live at the opening reception will create “black & white skin” on May 6th. Kennedy physically
immerses herself in the paint using her body to give life to her paints. Her
raw energy and strong physique allow her to caress the paint and manipulate the
medium through a mesmerizing, ritualistic dance. To witness the process is an experience that
is personal, raw and unabashedly thrilling.
Each of these artists through what appears to be simple abstractions and
elemental mediums manage to intrigue and arouse the onlooker.
About Art In FLUX:
Art In FLUX creates opportunity
for artists living and/or working in Harlem, brings art into public spaces,
creates a positive use for underutilized spaces and stimulates a vibrant
neighborhood by merging art, commerce and community. Art In FLUX Harlem
was launched in 2012 and since then has popped up in empty retail spaces, on
the streets, in restaurants, schools and lobbies bringing art closer to the
community as well as attracting media attention and art collectors to the
diverse group of artists in Harlem. www.artinfluxharlem.com
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