Posts Tagged ‘ first thursday ’

Gallery 114 presents: Consumption

Consumption with Diana Crites and Erin Robinson Grant at Gallery 114
Gallery 114 is pleased to present a provocative new exhibition showcasing the work of contemporary Northwest artists, Diana Crites and Erin Robinson Grant. “Consumption,” a surreal exploration of rebirth through death, utilizes dolls, animation, and more traditional mediums to convey the inescapable nature of destruction and the challenge of rebuilding. Consumption will be on display at Portland’s Gallery 114 from June 7 through June 30, 2012, with opening festivities on Thursday, June 7.

Exhibiting artists Diana Crites and Erin Robinson Grant share an appreciation for many of life’s darker inevitabilities. The themes of self-destruction, metamorphosis, and death figure largely throughout their independent work, so exhibiting together under a common theme was intuitive. And it proved inspirational. In Consumption, their art continually intersects — even uniting in projected animations– before reaching different, and sometimes startling, conclusions.

Employing many vehicles – including dolls, video installation, oil painting and illustration – the artists attempt to communicate the multi-faceted nature of consumption. Through conceptual narratives of memory, desire, and decay, a common thread is formed: that although consumption is inherently destructive, it is also an inevitable step towards progression and rebirth.

Regarding the theme of consumption, Erin Robinson Grant states, “It conveys decay, destruction, and a necessary use of a limited material. No other word so beautifully captures the constant struggle of humanity to survive in both physical and philosophical terms.” Adds Diana Crites, “Consumption, for me, is about an unwitting trip to places you don’t want to go; and, having gotten irrevocably lost, the struggle to get somewhere new. In the end, sometimes you have to waste away to find yourself.”

Consumption runs from June 7 through June 30, 2012 at Gallery 114, in Portland’s Pearl District. Please join them on Thursday, June 7, from 6-9 pm for the exhibition opening and artist reception. Gallery 114 participates in “First Thursday” festivities, previewing art exhibitions showing at downtown art galleries. In conjunction with Consumption, Gallery 114 will present, “A Theory of Morbid Attraction: An Artist Talk” by Erin Robinson Grant on Saturday, June 16, from 1-2 pm in the gallery. Gallery 114 is located at 1100 NW Glisan, Portland, Oregon 97209. Admission is free and open to the public.

About Gallery 114
Gallery 114 is the only established gallery in Portland that has persisted in allowing its artists absolute artistic freedom throughout its 20-year history. Founded in 1990 as an artist collective, Gallery 114 and its members have consistently produced a diversity of artwork.

Show Ends: 2012-06-30

Futro Fantastic at FIFTY24PDX Gallery / Upper Playground

Futro is a conglomerate of artists encompassing multiple visual and audio realms. Sparked by the concept of pulling retro inspiration towards the hope and dreams of the future, Futro results in an ever-present creative now. The output of each member is connected to the whole, embodied via a quest to share individual skills and talents in order to progress and further the output of the group as a single entity. This collaborative approach will be on display in the upcoming show Futro Fantastic.

The focus of the show is to combine the visual elements of the Futro collective in one setting, allowing them to complement each other. Through the use of many styles and forms of media, what could be casually seen as a disjointed collection of art will be viewed as compatible and coherent within the unifying theme of Futro.

Futro Record’s latest music video for Serious Business’ song, “New Licks” (directed by Chris Diana-Peebles and Hari Ziznewski), will be released as part of the opening of the show. It will continue to be a presence throughout the month via the Futro Kit 1.0 USB, which will allow patrons to explore the video and other cyber media of Futro. Alex Boyce’s creation “TVthing” will further this interaction as a physical means of altering and playing with the videos. Futro Fantastic will provide a visually stimulating representation of the world of Futro Records.

Artists include:
Alex Boyce
Chris Diana-Peebles
Jacob Markof
Lara Paulson
Noelle Sosaya
Sean Sullivan
Minh Tran

Futro Fantastic OPENS Thursday May 3, 2012 from 6-10pm.

All artists will be in attendance. Beverages graciously provided by Red Hook and Viso. Music by FUTRO DJs.

Futro Fantastic
@ FIFTY24PDX Gallery / Upper Playground
23 NW 5TH AVENUE
Portland, OR. 97209

Show Ends: 2012-06-02

“Benign, But Still Yucky” from Matt Reynolds

Animations, illustrations, sculptures, embroideries from Matt Reynolds

Join us for Matt Reynolds’ debut gallery show, featuring a cast of characters that look icky, but mean no harm.

From the artist:
“I think it’s safe to say that our culture shares in a certain paranoid skepticism of the microscopic world underneath our skin. Our ideals of beauty and longevity are always foiled by these material ball and chains, which will inevitably decay or fill with tumors. Even our cosmetic concerns are extensions of this prolonged denial of material mortality. The world that these works inhabit is filled with bulging growths, weeping sores, and unsightly hair – essentially augmentations of the most unattractive elements of our anatomies. My aim is to soften the frightening, foreign aspects or our own bodily anxieties by rendering microscopic forms with the hand of a classic cartoonist. It seems easier to confront a tumor if it has a pair of big, glossy eyeballs. After all: tumors aren’t evil – or benevolent. They just happen when we’ve lived too long for our bodies. Maybe we should just imagine each tumor with a big dumb smile, and pretend that it’s an absent minded guest that showed up way too early for the party at your house. Because BENIGN, BUT STILL YUCKY is a party that all your unsettling growths are invited to – so you might as well laugh a manic, hypochondriac’s laugh and turn up the stereo.”

About the artist:
Matt Reynolds grew up just north of San Francisco, but moved to Maine to get his BA in Art and Visual culture with a focus in experimental animation. After briefly studying filmmaking in the Czech Republic, he was introduced to the surrealist animations of Jan Svankmajer, which pushed him into the exploration of rudimentary, hand-made animation techniques. He has since embraced in-computer methods; though he remains committed to those earlier economic means for the illusion of movement. Matt compulsively vacillates between painting, sculpture, and animation projects – all of which tend to recycle imagery from molecular biology, science fiction, and vintage cartoons. He currently lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Matt Reynolds
@ FIFTY24PDX Gallery/Upper Playground
23 NW 5TH AVENUE
Portland, Oregon 97209
OPENS April 25th, 2012 | 6-10pm

Show Ends: (YYYY-MM-DD): 2012-04-26

Gallery 114 presents Inside Out: Revelations From Newer Faces

Gallery 114 is proud to present a group exhibition showcasing its newest artists. “Inside Out: Revelations From Newer Faces” will offer compelling insight into its newest members through a diversity of work and artistic intent.

The exhibit promises to be as diverse as the artists themselves. From unique perspective to method of delivery, Inside Out: Revelations From Newer Faces will deliver a spectrum of mediums and aesthetic sensibilities. Artists Diana Crites, Alana DiCicco, Erin Robinson Grant, Khanh N. Huynh MD, Mary Jo Mann, Christopher B. Mooney, and Curtis Settino will present contemporary works, including: art dolls, abstract, figurative, and narrative paintings (in oil, watercolor, and acrylic), mixed media, and video installation.

Attendees can likewise expect to encounter a spectrum of emotion. While artist Christopher B. Mooney sees his work connected with “comforting thoughts about positive social interactions in a world full of uncertainty, anger, and fearfulness,” artist Erin Robinson Grant seeks to establish a more uneasy, morbid connection. Despite the widely varying presentation and underlying intent, the artistic revelations in this exhibition will help to reveal the common language of human reaction, while previewing the progressive future direction of the gallery.

Inside Out: Revelations From Newer Faces will be on display at Gallery 114 from March 1 – April 1, 2012. Please join them on Thursday, March 1, from 6-9 p.m., for the exhibition opening and to meet the artists. Gallery 114 participates in “First Thursday” festivities, previewing art exhibitions showing at downtown art galleries. Gallery 114 is located at 1100 NW Glisan, Portland, Oregon 97209. The reception is free and open to the public.

Gallery 114 is the only established gallery in Portland that has persisted in allowing its artists absolute artistic freedom throughout its 20-year history. Founded in 1990 as an artist collective, Gallery 114 and its members have consistently produced a diversity of artwork.

Faux Money Faux Problems

In Faux Money, Faux Problems, Gage Hamilton, Zach Yarrington and Stephan Alexandr work with FIFTY24PDX Gallery to create a concept show in response to the current financial climate. Gage questions the legitimacy of our financial institutions and our relationships with money through re-created scenes from The Alexander Hamilton Project peppered with reactions to the ensuing Occupy controversy, while Zach searches for a utilitarian alternative to the disheartening state of American politics, and Stephan poses a unique question of commodity value.

Faux Money, Faux Problems
opens First Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 from 6:00-10:00pm.
Come and enjoy seasonal beer courtesy of Red Hook and charcuterie from the Gorilla Meats Co. along with live DJ.

Gage Hamilton was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and received his BFA in Digital Arts / New Media along with a degree in Political Science from University of Oregon. With a notable history of social commentary through street installation work, his practice focuses on the triangular influence of money, sex and media on contemporary American culture.

Zach Yarrington grew up outside of Detroit before heading to Oregon in 2005 where he received his BFA in Digital Arts / New Media at University of Oregon. With his strong affinity for hand-drawn type, he finds inspiration in the rustic signage of a blue collar American city, the Pacific Northwest landscape, and his love of post-punx lyrics.

Stephan Alexandr was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. His fascination with materials can be seen in his work as Co-Founder and Creative Director of Sticks & Stones Accessories in which he pairs exotic woods, prehistoric ivories, and fossils with precious metals and stones.

FIFTY 24PDX Gallery / Upper Playground

23 NW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

M-SAT 11AM-8PM SUN 12PM-6PM

Show Ends: 2012-04-02

Gallery 114 presents: Liminal Suspension

Gallery 114 is pleased to present Liminal Suspension, an exhibition of new work by Alaina Dias Lara, and featuring installation work by Tyler Stuart. Please join us on Thursday, December 1, from 6-9 p.m., for the exhibition opening and to meet the artist. We are pleased to take part in “First Thursday” festivities, previewing art exhibitions showing at the downtown Portland, Oregon art galleries. The show will be on display from December 1-30th, 2011. Gallery 114 is located at 1100 NW Glisan, Portland, Oregon 97209. The reception is free and open to the public.

Alaina Dias Lara is a visionary painter who explores the inner layers of human emotions and subliminal symbolism. Her work reflects the encounters and movement of her childhood, from her rich sense of color to the emotions hidden beneath.Tyler Stuart is a local artist whose work examines the corporeal and metaphysical relationship between the mind, materials, and environment.

Alaina Dias Lara holds a MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College in Vermont and a BFA in painting from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland. Originally from Northern California, Alaina lives and works in Portland, OR.

Tyler Stuart is a local artist whose work examines the corporeal and metaphysical relationship between the mind, materials, and environment. Through poetic and meditative compositions, he incorporates familiar materials such as wood, metal, and stone to reveal the tension between what is observed and what is presumed. In Liminal Suspension, Tyler will select particular materials to activate the object, moment, and space revealing strengths and weaknesses of both the surface and interior.

Tyler Stuart received his MFA in Visual Studies from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland and a BFA in Painting from University of Oregon in Eugene. Tyler proudly works and lives in Portland.

George Perrou presents ‘Flashbacks of Yestermorrow’

George Perrou
Flashbacks of Yestermorrow
Solo Exhibition

@ Elroy Artspace at The Original
300 SW 6th Ave.
Portland, OR. 97204
Opening Reception – Thursday, November 3rd 5-8pm
November 3, 2011 through December 1, 2011

Announces ‘Flashbacks of Yestermorrow’, a George Perrou Solo Exhibition

Elroy Artspace Gallery is pleased to announce Flashbacks of Yestermorrow, a solo exhibition of works by George Perrou. In the artist’s second solo exhibition at the gallery, Perrou takes us all to another place – one to which we’ve been and will be again, but does not exist today.

Flashbacks of Yestermorrow features Perrou’s trademark style of imagery inspired by the cartoons and atomic-age designs of his baby-boomer youth. Nostalgic for a time before video games and text messages, Perrou rekindles a childlike sense of wonderment in his paintings, recalling an era when encyclopedia pictures and TV images brought more questions than answers to the mysteries of the world around us. With unique shapes and colors which have come to immediately identify the works as ‘a Perrou’, his paintings in Flashbacks of Yestermorrow take us generations aback into the mid-century era which he so tactically creates, while simultaneously giving us a snapshot into an idealized future which waits for us ahead.

George Perrou’s art is inspired by mid-century animation, and gives nods to Miro, Kandinsky and Calder. Channeling the the Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. cartoons of his youth, Perrou’s is a style all his own, painting colorful abstractions of reality onto the canvas using retro and modern colors in acrylic. George lives and paints in the creative epicenter of Portland, Oregon.

Elroy Artspace is a gallery or modernist art whose mission is to enhance the human experience by introducing fine, fun art to those concerned with bringing color and beauty into the home and workspace.