Past and Perfect – Exhibitions at Durden and Ray, Wonzimer Gallery, and Persons Unknown

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Sometimes life just gets the best of you. You see great shows, post all the photos, and have no time to write the actual reviews. So here are three recently closed, truly wonderful exhibitions that deserve mention. Look for these galleries and artists in upcoming exhibitions throughout the year.

Wonzimer Gallery – We Insist On Growing – Cheyanne Washington 

Cheyanne Washington’s solo exhibition, We Insist On Growing, combined fiercely textured, exciting and sinuous forms wtih the astonishing use of her own natural pigments. If ever an artist deserved the description “alchemist” it would be Washington. Paintings, banners, and a wonderful sculptural work comprised this beautiful exhibition,  the title of which resonates with what the artist calls “the resilience and persistence found in nature.”

There’s a gravitational pull to these works, a life force that seems to arise from nature itself, embodied by the earth-rendered paints and clay. Washington shapes figurative art that exudes a sentient, sensual connection to the natural world, and transcends both its materials and subject, creating work that is serene and absorbing. Both paintings and ceramic works elevate the viewer’s grasp of nature, and relate to the intrinisic joy of creation itself.

If Washington insists on growing, then viewers everywhere should insist on watching her do so.

Currently at Wonzimer: (above) a solo exhibition by Gary Brewer, Everything is Radiant through May 15th, paintings and sculpture.

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Durden and Ray – Tieze – Group Exhibition

Curated by the powerful trio of Arezoo Bharthania, Dani Dodge, and Hagop Najarian, Tieze was the always-inventive collective gallery’s response to the bedecked halls of the Frieze art fair. Fresh and vibrant, the exhibition featured work by Ismael de Anda III, Carlos Beltran Arechiga, Arezoo Bharthania, Jorin Bossen, Gul Cagin, Sijia Chen, Joe Davidson, Dani Dodge, Vita Eruhimovitz, Jenny Hager, Regina Herod, David Leapman, Atilio Pernisco, Snezana Saraswati Petrovic, Carolyn Mason, Hagop Najarian, Ty Pownall, Max Presneill, Dylan Ricards, Stephanie Sherwood, Curtis Stage, Valerie Wilcox, Alexandra Wiesenfeld, and Steven Wolkoff.

From the swirling movement of figurative abstracts by Najarian to Wolkoff’s paint sculpture, magical video from Petrovic, asonishing sculptural works from Pownall and Davidson to small but mighty sculptures utilizing Monopoly pieces by Dodge, there was a medium and a message to compel the eye of any viewer. It would be hard to pick just one favorite among a myriad of stand outs. Bhartania and Hager showed vibrant, multi-layered paintings while Wilcox showed a delicate looking paper cocoon of a sculpture. A far cooler and more cutting edge group exhibition than was present at any of the commercial art fairs this year, the exhibition artists were all Durden and Ray artist/curators, participating in the only show each year dedicated to highlighting all of the Durden and Ray artists’ work as a group.

Currently at Durden and Ray (above): Smiling in Chaos – Group Show – Co-curated by Gonzalo García Gaitán, Ismael de Anda III, Carlos Beltrán Aréchiga through May 18th,  a collaboration between Columbian collective Si Nos Pagan Boys and Los Angeles based artists, all of whom use humor and levity in their work as a form of resistance.

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Persons Unknown – Into the Hamper’s Belly – Group Show

Into the Hamper’s Belly featured four artists working in sculpture, installation, and painting. The group exhibition was devoted to those who “revel in ongoing processes of accumulation and transmutation…[and] a sense of porous frementation.”

Artists Inga Hendrickson, Rachel Elizabeth Jones, Caitlin Servilio, and Corrine Yonce used a variety of atypical art materials ranging from cardboard, cement, pigment, foam, silicone, wax, plastic, sand, and even clamshells, to create an exhibition of diverse artists and art forms that nonetheless presented as a whole; a mystical and organic installation that merged into one being within the cutting-edge gallery floor.

And in the back studio space, the beautiful work of gallerist and artist Ariel Oakley Pelletier.

Currently at Persons Unknown (above): Fumbled Worlds – The Invented People of Alfonse Aletto – through May 20th, a survey of painted works from a prolific self-taught artist.

Look for these galleries and previously exhibited artists as well as current shows ASAP.  Great art is a joy we should all be sharing — especially in today’s precarious world.

  • Genie Davis; photos by Genie Davis and provided by galleries

Arbor: An Abstract Take on Natural Beauty

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Above, artist Sijia Chen.

Conceptual art in a public space takes a great deal of work to achieve, and artist Sijia Chen has had that experience first-hand in creating a work for the city of Claremont, Calif. She set out to “present an abstract interpretation of a tree that incorporated my own personal narrative, along with historical and literal elements that I associated with Claremont, the City of Trees,” she says.

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And she’s done so successfully with her lustrous Arbor, selected by  the Public Art Committee and approved by the City Council for purchase as part of Claremont’s Public Art Program.

The artist’s work is an outdoor sculpture on permanent display in front of Claremont City Hall.  Curved, sleek, and visually engaging, the sculpture is an abstract interpretation of a tree trunk. Engraved on the exterior of its steel panels are the botanical names, in both Latin and English, of tree species found in the city.

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Chen notes that “In Claremont’s request for proposals, they specifically indicated that it should take into consideration the importance of site specificity, engagement with local narratives/history, and appropriate imagery and materials for public space.  I was familiar with Claremont’s charming and picturesque setting, and the significance of their rich and diverse community of trees was a singular and defining element of their community.”

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While the image of a tree came naturally to Chen, she worked through about 20 sketches before settling on Arbor‘s basic structure and visual lines. “I had one of my graphic designers create a color rendering and then place it on a photograph of the project site.  It was crucial to be able to visualize and evaluate Arbor in relation to its positioning in front of city hall,” she relates.

Once she was satisfied with the work’s size, orientation, and dialogue with its surroundings, she worked with a CAD specialist and structural engineer to ensure lines and overall structure were both consistent with her original design, and viable for fabrication.

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Chen’s piece is constructed entirely out of stainless steel. “I wanted Arbor to be a minimal and elegant structure, with organic shapes and curves, and without any excess visual weight.  I  wanted the surfaces of the piece to have a matte finish, but still convey texture and graining,” she asserts.  “The sculpture also needed to be durable and weather resistant since it would be on permanent display outdoors.” So, for its strength, durability, and visual qualities, she chose stainless steel to craft her work.

Once that decision was made, it was time to fabricate the piece, a process which included several challenges.

“I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the finish of the stainless steel surfaces after the engraving of the text was completed,” Chen says.  “I ultimately made the decision to sand down the entire surface and re-engrave the text and refinish everything,” she relates.

1The result was worth the effort: Arbor is a beautiful, lasting piece that invites viewer contemplation, a work that should grow with the city – much as its trees do. 

  • Genie Davis; photos provided by artist.