You have seen a lot about my piece for this show here, now it is time to shift gears and talk a little more about the show that inspired this new direction.
First off, let me give some credit where credit is due. The driving force behind this show, and a lot of others, is Didi Menendez of Poets & Artists magazine I know I mention her a lot on my site but, that is because she is doing a lot. She is a strong supporter of contemporary realist painting (and sculpture) and, while the work I make does not always fit neatly into that box, she always seems to find a place for me in her magazine, and the exhibitions she is involved in. Working in a style of art that could be described as unfashionable (or worse), it is often frustrating trying to find suitable places to show. I know I speak for a lot of artists when I say that her support, and the work she puts into these shows, is very appreciated. I am not sure how to really repay that, except to ask the people that enjoy my work, to support her in return. Buy an issue, visit a show, let her know that there are people out there that enjoy the fruits of her labor.
You can find more information about the magazine, including where to buy hard copies at the Poets & Artists site.
Now, about the show.
Immortality & Vulnerability is a collaborative effort between co-curators Didi Menendez and Sergio Gomez (who runs the gallery at the Zhou B Art Center, along with his own space 33 Contemporary), and the artists involved. The way they tell it, Sergio came up with the concept, As luck would have it, this meshed with a new series that Didi had been discussing with artist Nadine Robbins.
See Nadine’s explanation of this piece here.
“Double Gulp” by Nadine Robbins The title Immortality and Vulnerability was given to all the invited artists about one year in advance. Artists and poets were selected from across the country to participate. Each artist and poet was asked to respond to this theme from their own point of view and with their own visual language and writing style. The ideas of Immortality and Vulnerability have been part of the human experience for millennia and have been subjects of exploration by numerous artists throughout time.
I don’t want to give too much away, because the show looks great and I want you to check out the magazine to see it all, but here are a couple more teasers:
Cesar Conde‘s piece for Immortality & Vulnerability
Victoria Selbach's piece for Immortality & Vulnerability