NICOLE SALGAR
THE CONDUIT
November 2 - November 26
Conduit, At its core, transcends a mere channel, elevating itself to the stature of a vessel that surmounts the confines of the familiar. Within the realm of artistry, it metamorphoses into a portal, forging links with dimensions beyond, a bridge that harmoniously unifies the palpable and the intangible. It stands as an exploratory odyssey into the intricate interplay between human interconnectivity and the mystical expanses encompassing both nature and the enigmatic. Each artwork in this collection assumes the role of a visual conduit, transcending ordinary artistic expression and evolving into a profound gateway. It materializes as a portal that entices spectators to peer into alternate realities and dimensions. As if imparting secrets across temporal boundaries, communication flows seamlessly through the threads of nature, enhanced by the dynamic dimension of color that layers an ethereal dialogue. This exhibition showcases a harmonious blend of both old and new works, each one a testament to the artist's unwavering dedication to exploring this thematic realm. As patrons traverse this domain, they are invited to ponder the profound connections that exist beyond our perception, as the conduit becomes a vessel of revelation and marvel.
October 5 - October 29
俵谷 哲典 / Tetsunori Tawaraya is a Japanese musician and artist, known as the guitarist and vocalist for the noise punk band 2up and for his graphic art. Tawaraya is originally from Miyagi, currently based in Tokyo, Japan. He started drawing portraits of people and musicians in San Diego, CA in the late 1990s, and prolifically created sci-fi/experimental graphic novels. His San Diego-based band Dmonstrations was active and toured until 2007 besides 2up. His grotesque and vibrant perspective has been appreciated over generations. He works with publishers such as Colour Code, Hollow Press, and Le Dernier Cri to release books with screen printing, and risograph. Brain Dead, Element, NTS Radio, RVCA, Volcom respectively collaborated, and his works have been active on multiple platforms.
HEAVY FRIENDS
GRIMACE CAGE
September 7 - September 24
ARTIST BIO
Born in Bogota, Colombia and raised in the Hudson Valley region of New York, I started creating artwork under the name Heavy Friends around 2015. Largely self-taught, I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember. My work is inspired by classic comic strips like Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy, George Herriman’s Krazy Kat and artists' works such as Johnny Ryan’s Prison Pit, Luigi Serafini’s Codex Seriphinianus, among others.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The characters in my work originated from a single, spur-of-the-moment drawing in early 2015. After receiving praise from a friend, I pushed myself to flesh this idea out further. Experimenting with different shapes and repetition using only black and white, my aim was to create very distinct, bold images separate from each other laid out very meticulously on paper, never touching. I’ve always had immense respect and admiration for artists in any medium who can produce a world separate from the one we live in, so in the last few years I have really started to let these characters interact. My intention is to now build a world around these characters instead of letting them float on a page alone.
SHOW STATEMENT
When I was a kid, one of the local McDonald’s play places had a giant Grimace whose stomach was made of thick metal bars. It was essentially a giant cage kids would play in. I don’t know why this stuck with me for so long, but it is the direct inspiration for one of the characters in this body of work. I don’t normally name them but after revisiting the idea earlier this year “Grimace Cage” stuck in my mind. The cage, along with the other pieces in this show, deal with themes of physical and mental confinement, feelings of being constricted, solitude, and how those things fit into my everyday life.
About
Deadly Prey Gallery is a Chicago-based traveling art gallery working with 10 artists in and around Accra, Ghana. We are dedicated to the preservation of hand-painted Ghanian movie posters, with the central focus being supporting the incredible artists currently painting them.
We house and archive a unique collection of thousands of these posters spanning their 30+ year tradition. Commission opportunities, original paintings, prints, books, tees and more are available, with 100% of merch profits going to the artists.
History
These wild posters were once the product of a much larger industry known as the “Ghanaian Mobile Cinema”. This business started in the late 1980s when Ghanaian entrepreneurs formed video clubs. With a television, VCR, VHS tapes, and a portable generator they’d travel throughout Ghana setting up make-shift screening areas in villages with little or no electricity. These video clubs also had more permanent theaters in the cities like Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi.
An interesting selection of movies became popular mainly due to availability. These genres include Hollywood action and horror, low budget American straight to video features, Bollywood films, Hong Kong martial arts movies, and of course an ever-growing selection of native Ghanaian and Nigerian features.
As more people gained interest in this rising business, competition arose. Mobile cinema operators found a need to set their products apart, so an advertising motif came into play. With no affordable access to printing, the hand-painted movie poster was the most logical advertising vehicle. Skilled local artists were now part of this growing entertainment industry in Ghana, and they surely brought their own distinct touch to each film they were called upon to promote. It was very common for the video operator to explain to the artists what to paint or give them reference material which might not exactly be in the movie. Often time extra violence, horror or sex was added to these painted posters in an effort to sell more tickets!
By sewing together used flour sacks, a perfect sized canvas for an over-sized movie poster was created. The ruggedness of these posters is immediately noticed. Though a specific poster might only be 15-20 years old, its appearance will far surpass its actual age due to the elemental toll one takes from constant transit, being rolled, folded, left in the sun, rain, etc.
Today access to printing is far less expensive and home viewing has become more accessible to the general public in Ghana. By the mid to late 2000s the mobile cinema had all but passed away, but these hand-painted movie posters remain a wonderful, tangible product of the time. Many of the same artists from Ghana’s former mobile cinema continue to paint movie posters as art with Deadly Prey Gallery on a commission basis to a growing worldwide audience today.
Grotesque Crimes of Beauty
About the Show
June 29 - July 23
The work in this show is mostly mixed media (painting, drawing, mono-printing, and collage) layered, combined and contrasted to create new connections and narratives. I believe this is similar to how we process experiences in general — vignettes of moments, experiences and interactions are merged into personal memories.
Many of the pieces have a subject that starts as a collage. These are made from found images that I respond to. They may be examples of a subculture I am interested in (punk DIY design, tattoo flash, comics, etc), a reference to an artificial ideal (60’s and 70’s advertising illustrations), or the abstract appearance of biological illustrations. I digitize the images, print them out and combine different elements into something new– a portrait, a figure, or a creature. The resulting collages often have an unexpected sense of personality and emotion, with a pinch of humor. I view this process a bit like sampling in music - taking a piece of something that exists and combining it with other things, and the result is something completely unique that still has ties to multiple origins.
I place these images in an abstract environment of layered prints or areas of paint. I like the contrast between the representational nature of the collage and the abstraction of color and shape interacting. The mono-print process I use creates one-of-a-kind prints, and is prone to subtle shifts in texture. I intentionally retain a certain level of crudeness and imperfection, because I think that is very human, and I want the work to look like it was made by a person. Combining these very different artistic styles creates a visual tension that appeals to me. I am very interested in this type of contrast and feel that when balance is found, it can lead to a kind of stillness, a space between.
About The Show
June 1 - June 25
This one was a tough one. Reeling from a disastrous holiday, I felt angry, un-inspired and lost. I had lost my dog, the only thing I had close to me since moving out to the Pacific Northwest eleven years ago. That was really hard to deal with, especially being away from her, never having the chance to say goodbye. So while taking everything into consideration with what was happening in my life I just didn't feel right being home and painting through the holidays.
I did what I could to get by mentally, but it just wasn’t the same as it once was. In January of this year I had a successful mini art show in Seattle, Washington where I thought everything would camouflage the loss and the energy missing that once was a part of me. Not to mention the weather was a factor in all of this, it was just too bleak and unrelenting at times.
Art helped me get through, but it turned black and white immediately. It was black and white for a long time this time. I can't really see the bleakness. I still had my family behind me, but each piece of art finished the more exhausted of inspiration I felt came with it. If you know me that’s odd. I figured I'd take a break mentally to clear my head since there was an influx of old friends coming into town for a band’s reunion. However once the thrill and excitement of friendship and memories faded I just slipped more and more into depression and into my own head. Uninspired I just sat and did nothing about it, defeated and lost.
There was a point where I was going to quit this show and fall into obscurity and become a “normal” member of society. However I knew I had this art in my soul creeping back. I needed to get it done. I felt the camouflage motif I tried to hide behind in my winter wear reignite everything for me only to realize it was all right in front of my face. Instead of hiding I just incorporated this into my show to be more bold, not to hide behind my emotions but be in front of them. Like I usually am. The art flowed through my veins again, it felt really normal. Once the weather changed it charged me mentally and physically. Then inspiration came back and I finished this body of art.
Negative Creep Neon Creeper explores struggle, really the first in my life making art. I know now how to embrace and work through things like this. You have to be broken down in many ways to rebuild yourself stronger.
Rich Hall was born in Queens, NY. For over 25 years Rich was ‘sidetracked’ from art into the music industry. Mostly promoting shows at New York City venues like the legendary CBGB and Santos Party House along with so many others nationwide. Rich Hall now lives in Tacoma, WA with his wife, Carrie, and son, Cillian.
The Force of Other
About The Show
April 20 - May 28
The Force of Other features work that has been brought to life in all new magnitude, physical scale, motion and energy as JK5 continues to explore his obsession with reimagined writing systems. Recent work brought him back to his favorite life changing book from his childhood, Subway Art by photographers Henry Chalfant & Martha Cooper. The first portrait of Futura inspired him to revisit his love of graffiti, but incorporate a wholly new narrative and storytelling approach. The painting moves all of his own writing and letterforms into new dimensions through an intuitive burst and attack, stream of consciousness, reactive process. His work is a meticulously crafted sequence that moves from sketchbooks into paintings that are transcriptions of words, autobiographical personal processes, sentiments, lists, phrases, authors, and book titles.
Physical copies of additional literature that accompanies the show will be available to gallery visitors to ensure a fully immersive experience.
Opening Reception for The Force of Other by Joseph Ari Aloi AKA JK5
Three Kings Studio
572 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222
P : (347) 744-1051
Email : info@threekingsstudio.com