A Tale of Two Cities: On View at JoAnne Artman Gallery New York + Laguna Beach
Separated only by distance, JoAnne Artman Gallery’s New York and Laguna Beach locations allow for the opportunity to simultaneously showcase different collections and exhibitions. Offering a tale of two cities with three gallery locations, Martin Adalian’s Disintegration, That 70s Show: Saturday Night Fever, and a mix of new arrivals and old favorites are currently on view for the summer!
JoAnne Artman Gallery, 326 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach
LAGUNA BEACH (326): Featuring new arrivals from Audra Weaser and John ‘CRASH’ Matos. With a channeled devotion to landscapes, the ebb and flow of the environment is reflected in Audra Weaser’s sanding process and surface quality. As in a body of water, the horizon line in each work serves as a point of reflection, creating two mirrored halves that at times seem to recede into the distance. Ripples, or variations in form, provide the idea of tension or motion of some kind of vibration or pull on the surface. There is a potential of stored energy in the works, the idea of equilibrium or a systematic balancing of opposing forces that is hidden in plain sight. This push and pull is reflected poetically in Weaser’s sanding down of the painted surface, as she transforms the landscape by excavation, finding the final form beneath the layers within.
John “CRASH” Matos continues his exploration of form and shape with his instantly recognizable fusion of pop iconography and graffiti. Barely contained to the planes of his canvas, CRASH incorporates dark outlines, bright colors, and figurative elements to serve as a bridge between street art and gallery space. Incorporating symbols such as arrows, lens flare, bubble letters, and explosive forms to his compositions, CRASH’s ocular components remain his most identifiable artistic signature. Interested in conveying emotion and the communicative ability of eyes, women’s eyes are a continuous motif found throughout his paintings and murals. Representing clairvoyance, omniscience, secrecy, and mystery, CRASH’s representation of eyes transforms his compositions from being the object of gaze to becoming possessive of gaze and looking back at its audience.
NEW YORK: Martin Adalian continues his exploration of incorporating contemporary styles with the iconography of European art history for his exhibition, Disintegration. Inspired by the Vatican museum’s ancient portraits of Caesars, philosophers, slaves, and proletariats from the Roman Empire, Adalian concluded that people’s faces do not change, and that modern faces are in actuality, very ancient. Forging a connection between modern art and classical, his recreations prioritize the commonalities of mankind and the continuity of life and tradition rather than identifiable depictions.
JoAnne Artman Gallery, New York
Embracing the concept of disintegration, his canvases are punctuated with tears and lacerations, exposing stretcher bars and distorting aspects of the portrait to echo the damaged works of the Vatican’s collection. Mimicking the distressed appearances of the ancient works and their occasional missing facial features, embellishments of tar and acrylic impasto create a multi-dimensional and multi-textual effect. Maintaining a color palette of rich earth tones and dramatic lighting, the application of thick swaths of paint and tar is concurrently spontaneous and strategic- establishing focal points and redirecting the viewer to areas of elaborate detail. Boldly emphasizing the physicality of his mark making process, Adalian further breaches the boundaries of the conventional modes of portraiture.
JoAnne Artman Gallery, New York
LAGUNA BEACH (346): JoAnne Artman Gallery’s newest space, 346 N Coast Hwy, combines That 70s Show: Saturday Night Fever with recent acquisitions by PunkMeTender.
Replicating the iconography and high-energy rhythms of disco music, That 70s Show: Saturday Night Fever demonstrates the indelible impact the music had on our lifestyle, fashion, culture, and art. Featuring the works of Greg Miller, John ‘CRASH’ Matos, Anja Van Herle, and Jana Cruder. Providing a glimpse into the glamour, rebellion, and acceptance of the era, each artist captures its feelings of nostalgia and freedom.
JoAnne Artman Gallery, 346 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach
Coinciding with a time of social and political upheaval, disco was an agent for change. Linked to racial politics and sexual-liberation movements, disco embraced marginalized gay, black, and Latino communities before eventually attracting a commercial, mainstream audience. Quickly spreading worldwide, disco’s attitude of inclusivity provided a safe haven for artists, musicians, designers, and outcasts who were able to explore creativity, identity, and self-expression in bold, new ways.
PunkMeTender (b. 1982, Paris, France) has been creating multimedia art, installations, and murals in Los Angeles since 2000. Influenced by art, fashion, and music, his moniker combines his admiration for the legendary Elvis Presley with Daft Punk. Introduced to street art early on his career by Thiery Guetta (Mr. Brainwash), the two artists collaborated together for over fifteen years. Initially creating illegally on billboards or walls in the cover of night, PunkMeTender’s focus shifted to fine art and mural installation.
Inspired by butterflies and the freedom, spirit, and beauty they represent, their silhouette has become a constant in his work. Incorporating three-dimensional butterflies into his canvases and murals alike, their sculptural shapes create the illusion of flight. Designed with his audience in mind, PunkMeTender’s art is intended to be photographed, posed with, and shared on social media, resulting in viewers’ reimagining their own environments and realities.
Now on View by Appointment at JoAnne Artman Gallery!
JoAnne Artman Gallery 326 + 346 N Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 | 511A West 22nd St. New York, NY 10011 Telephone: 949-510-5481 | E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.joanneartmangallery.com