Cinema 05 International Group Exposition and Aubrey Rhodes at Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery

Cinema 05
International Group Exhibition
September 19 – November 15, 2014
Opening Reception: Friday, September 19th, 5-9pm

A house is borne away by a tornado, a Knight plays chess with Death, a B-52 bomber pilot rides a nuclear bomb like a bucking bronco to oblivion: these captured moments have a distinctive means of imprinting themselves upon our memories, catching in our filters and germinating. An artist’s mind often acts as a lens, refocusing and projecting these elements into new creations, or new translations embedded with the power of their cinematic progenitors.

Last year we continued our ongoing series of exhibitions designed around cinema as a translated medium. The exhibition, Cinema 04, surpassed our expectations in terms of quality and diversity of the submissions. It was exciting to see how various artists incorporated cinema into their work, whether referencing specific films, genres or cinematic process itself. After the final selections were made, the exhibition consisted of work by 15 artists from 11 cities in 4 countries* and was very well received by the thousands who viewed the work in the gallery and online. This year, we continue with Cinema 05.

*Cleveland, OH; Philadelphia, PA; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; Greenport, NY; Baltimore, MD; Black

Mountain, NC; Seattle, WA; London, UK; Melbourne, Australia; Bauru, Brazil

Moe Pho [Detroit, MI]
Kid Fester (Coogan Conflation)
2014
Archival Pigment Print
12 x 9 inches

Aubrey Rhodes [Melbourne, Australia]
Rx
November 21, 2014 – January 10, 2015
Opening Reception with Aubrey Rhodes
5-9 pm Friday, November 21

Aubrey Rhodes’ Rx series examines identity and self-perception, and the impact of pharmaceutical drugs, chemical substances, obsessions and addictions.

Each painting in the Rx series exists within its own unique reality, walking a captivating line between philosophical observation and humor; between levity and poignancy.

The text collages that comprise the backgrounds of each painting are works of art unto themselves, functioning as their own type of abstract poetry. The collage provides a counterpoint and creates an effective interplay between text and beautifully painted imagery, illuminating a more complex narrative within, while providing a lush visual depth and dimension.

In The Avon Lady, the seemingly innocuous cosmetics saleswoman is transformed to a well-armed enforcement agent. Familiar slogans are recontextualized, as advertisements like, “Look & Feel Years Younger,” become more of a demand than a simple sales pitch.

In Margie, the background collage is made up from the clippings of Martha Stewart Living, showing ads and headlines that illustrate domestic perfection. A young Martha Stewart (from her modeling days) appears as the painted figure. She looks despondent and depressed, as she looks down and to the side, almost consciously avoiding the eyes of the viewer. Her large and heavy earrings weigh down more than just her earlobes, as they seem to have an emotional weight, burdening her spirit, as well.

Aubrey Rhodes has painted the Rx series exclusively for her exhibition at Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery, and will be in attendance for the opening reception.