![]() |
space/adversity/motion On view January 26 - February 29, 2012 |
Tim Forcum |
Rema Ghuloum | Danielle McCullough | Michael Napper | Carole Silverstein
| Marie Thibeault | Chris Trueman | Grant Vetter | Tessie Whitmore
den contemporary is pleased to present space/adversity/motion in Gallery
Space 261, featuring painterly works by nine artists from
the Los Angeles region. The common groundwork for the paintings
and sculptures in the exhibition is the diverse approach to abstraction
in their practice.
space/adversity/motion refers to aspects of the personal journey and universal existence, as well as elements in the art making process. The artists examine subjects such as loss, hope, and redemption, taking inspiration from childhood memories, found objects, imaginary landscapes, ethnic motifs, musical influences, and the effects from natural and manmade disasters.
Through stylistic shifts, attentiveness of composition, and by pushing the depth of the two-dimensional toward collage and sculptural forms, the artists activate a spatial dialogue with the imagery.
Analogous to the individual quest through the vulnerabilities and trials of life, the artists traverse the terrain of the canvas or structure, navigating through with a quality of both personal vision and collaboration with the materials, instigating tension through juxtaposition of contrasting compositions, linework and texture.
The artists engage in the production process through
the motion of creating forms by hand and making marks with paint or tools.
Their expression is further emphasized by a variety of bold swirls, swaths
of pigment, minuscule flecks, and rhythmic lines within a sometimes dense
and other times minimal atmosphere. The resolved energy in the works
results in a kaleidoscope of evocative palette, anamorphic form, palpable
physicality, and force of cadence.

SEOK KIM
On view January 26 - February 15, 2012
den contemporary is
pleased to present the Corner Project Space B257 located
The Corner Project will feature an exhibition by Guest Curator Jae
Yang from Art-merge, introducing sculptures by artist Seok Kim.
The robot—object of childhood affection, of desire and memory,
and of Asian pop-cultural vernacular—assumes a transcendent role
in Seok Kim’s sculptural work. The son of toy store owners, Kim
had enviable access to these iconic objects as a child, and in particular,
he enjoyed uncommon access to highly soughtafter plastic model robot
kits. Years later as a fine artist, Kim’s wistful intimacy with
the robot as a sculptural piece is still evident; he poses his subjects
in uniquely human stances—canonical forms of contemplation, isolation
and prayer. Longing, memory and expectation, both collective and personal,
are critical to the work. The boundaries of identity and status blur
as Kim’s high-performance humanoids seek recognition, or at least
normalcy, in a society that recognizes them as inherently subservient.
By sculpting his subjects out of materials like anachronistic pine wood
or monochromatic plastic, Kim establishes a set of incongruences through
which he can explore desire, sentiency, and the implications and expectations
of progress on both the individual and society at large.
A graduate from Kyungnam University, Seok
Kim has exhibited in France and throughout Korea extensively, and currently
lives and works in Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
As part of Design Loves Art at Pacific Design
Center
den contemporary is located in the Pacific Design Center Blue Building, 8687 Melrose Avenue, Suite B261, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 11am to 5pm, and Saturday through Monday by appointment. Gallery mailing address is P.O. Box 6602, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.
For more information and visual material, contact the
gallery at 323-422-6340 or info@dencontemporaryart.com. Complimentary
PDC parking is available for members of Press/Media by calling ahead
at 310-360-6404.
----