The de la Torre Brothers: Home for the Holidays

“We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us.”

-’Following the Equator’ by Mark Twain

Greed Talisman // 2005 // 48 x 48 x 7 inches // Blown and cast glass, mixed media

Artists and brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre bring their inventive, irreverent, inspired glass and mixed media works—rife with tongue-in-cheek religious iconography and and pop-cultural references—to Mindy Solomon Gallery in ‘Home for the Holidays.’ The exhibition is on view from December 22, 2012-February 2, 2013, with an Opening Night Reception Saturday, December 22 from 6-8:30PM, and Artists’ Talk at 6:30PM.

Animaluchadora // 2008 // 40 x 15 inches // Blown and cast glass, mixed media

The blown and cast glass sculptural works featured in this program are largely taken from the de la Torres’ 2012 exhibition at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia. In addition to the museum works, the brothers’ recent explorations in digital art and mixed media round out ‘Home for the Holidays’ at Mindy Solomon Gallery. The works on display showcase the multiplicity of their religious and political story, always with an eye toward humor. One example of note is the sculpture ‘Animaluchador’ (2008). In Spanish, ‘anima’ translates to souls burning, and ‘luchador’ means wrestler. The figure appears to be standing in a religious pose of prayer, but is wearing the costume of a wrestler. His body is engulfed in flames, while he stands astride a pop-cultural doll. The relationship between religious icon and heroic figure (masquerading as an object of significance) personifies the de la Torres’ irreverence for cultural iconography as nothing more than cartoon. This objectification of symbolic masculine and spiritual strength enables viewers to tackle their own senses of religious alienation with candor and humor.

Rally du Mort // 2010 // 26 x 12 x 21 inches // Blown glass, terra-cotta, mixed media

The baroque quality of many of the de la Torres’ forms is the perfect foil for the contemporary nature of the dialogue conveyed by their narrative: a conversation rich in history, religion, and politics. Active in the glass art world since the 1980s, Einar and Jamex de la Torre are well-known for their assemblage style of making. They utilize hot glass as if it were a magic wand flowing with liquid amber―brilliant colors fused together with a nod to the grotesque. Their unique approach has been recognized internationally, and the brothers have exhibited their work in France, Japan, Canada, Germany, Venezuela, and Brazil as well as in the US and Mexico. They are included in the permanent collections of some of the finest glass art institutions in the world.

Read more about the exhibit and view more works by the de la Torre Brothers >>

Exhibition Information:
Mindy Solomon Gallery presents ‘Home for the Holidays: The Inventive, Irreverent, Inspired Works of the de la Torre Brothers‘ December 22, 2012-February 2, 2013. An Opening Night Reception takes place Saturday, December 22, from 6-8:30pm, with Artists’ Talk at 6:30pm.

Mindy Solomon Gallery is located at 124 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. The gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 11am-5pm. For more information, please contact the gallery at info@mindysolomon.com or 727-502-0852.

Subversive Narratives at balzerARTprojects Opens January 11th in Basel

Mindy Solomon Gallery’s exhibition ‘Subversive Narratives: Exposing the Raw Side’ opens January 11th at balzerARTprojects in Basel, Switzerland, with an Opening Night Reception from 5:30-8pm.  Mindy will be presenting photography by Jeremy Chandler, Becky Flanders, Generic Art Solutions, Scott Sothern, and Muir Vidler on themes of cultural identity including gender, taboo, and power.

“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” -Diane Arbus

The artists featured in this exhibition display honesty and candor in their approach to photographic narrative, oftentimes choosing to illustrate subjects frequently overlooked and ignored, such as prostitution and gender dynamics. With a touch of humor, a nod to art history, and a global perspective, this exhibition will illuminate and inspire deeper examination of the subjects presented.

Below, an article in Swiss magazine ‘Art Collector’ previewing the show, which runs through February 23rd at Riehentorstrasse 14, CH-4058 Basel:

Abstract, Playful Expressionism in the Hamptons

Mindy Solomon Gallery will be presenting the work of several dynamic and inspired artists working in the genre of non-objective art, as well as a grouping of colorful European narrative expressionist works at the upcoming Art MRKT Hamptons and Art Southampton.

artMRKT Hamptons
July 19-22, 2012 // Booth 211

Art Mrkt Hamptons will feature the work of: Gary Petersen, Erin Parish, David Hicks, William Pachner and John Held, Jr. Each of the participating artists has a vibrancy and energy that is connected to their unique artistic perspectives.

Gary Petersen // Together // 2009 // 56 x 40 inches // Oil on canvas

Gary Petersen, an abstract painter that combines references to constructivism with an irreverent dayglow palette states: “My longtime interest in early 20th century abstraction and the notion of the ‘cosmic’ merges with a California/pop sensibility. What develops is a way for abstract painting to still be engaging. “

John Held Jr. // Forest Hatch // 2011 // 29 1/4 x 47 inches // Oil on paper

New to the gallery, San Francisco artist John Held, Jr. also embraces a flurry of color and line that speaks to his long time scholarly interest in the FLUXES and DADA movements of the 1960’s. The repetitious use of cross hatching and bold color serve as an homage to the indefinable nature of FLUXUS art, infused with humor and visual energy. Held describes the works as wall cloths, often layering them over multiple surfaces to create a completely altered environment.

Erin Parish // River at High Sun // 2012 // 47 1/2 x 47 1/2 inches // Oil and resin on wood panel

Miami based painter Erin Parish also utilizes color to create a sense of space and time. Her ethereal meditative surfaces remind one of the interplay of light and water creating a connectedness with spiritually and personal reflection.

David Hicks // Flora (Yellow) // 2012 // Glazed ceramics

David Hicks also embraces the interaction of multiple layers of color. Hicks’ organically inspired sculptural forms are a breeding ground for highly pigmented diversity. Alchemistically inclined, Hicks boldly fires layer upon layer of glaze on his forms-creating a wonderful marriage between two and three dimensional art.

William Pachner // The Forrest // 1961 // Oil on canvas

The work presented by William Pachner is completely contemporary in appearance though it was created during the height of the abstract expressionist movement in the early 1960’s. His incredible brush work and inspired use of color combined with angst driven urgency create work that is timeless and authentic.

art southampton
July 26-30, 2012 // VIP Preview July 26 // Booth AS24 

James Kennedy // Bay Rigger Blue // 2012 // 40 x 40 inches // Mixed media on incised masonite

Our program at Art Southampton will also feature paintings by William Pachner. Additionally, we will be showing the work of James Kennedy, a New York based painter. Kennedy’s lyrical tonal compositions speak to a mid-century modern vibe, while existing firmly in the contemporary milieu.

Georgine Ingold // Outside Luzerne // 2011 // 11 x 15 inches // Oil on canvas

Swiss artist Georgine Ingold brings a rich, painterly aesthetic to the program. Ingolds’ works are characterized by expressive brush marks showing visible evidence of the process of creating the painting. Her surfaces demonstrate a wonderful use of light to convey space and time.

Karin Karinson Nilsson // Playing the Dream Out of Her // 2011 // 6 x 6 inches // Readymades, glaze, clay, glass

European artist Karin Karinson Nilsson demonstrates a flair for color, surface and texture. Her porcelain mixed media assemblages entice the viewer with an air of familiarity that is created from the use of found objects and figurines. These materials are completely reinvented and fresh in presentation, dripping with color from the molten glass and glaze that holds the newly minted sculpture together.

The Mindy Solomon Gallery is proud to be presenting the work of emerging, mid-career and established artists who present a fresh and colorful perspective in the contemporary marketplace.

Detailed Information: On View May 26th—July 7th

“A mountain is composed of tiny grains of earth. The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water. Even so, life is but an endless series of little details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences, whether good or bad, of even the least of them, are far-reaching.” -Swami Sivananda

The exhibition ‘Detailed Information’ showcases a group of artists whose work is minutely crafted to exacting detail, rich with narrative content. The works in this show invite multiple viewings in order to capture important visual components that serve to decode the artists’ perspectives. Implicit to this group of artists is their mastery of techniques―whether it is old master, or the application of new technologies. Each artist uses their significant knowledge to impart a comprehensive visual story.

Marc Burckhardt, a painter trained in old master techniques to achieve texture and luminosity, defines his work in these terms: “I come from a storytelling as well as figurative tradition that is steeped in the visual language of Western art’s historical symbolism. I attempt to take the framework of this mutually shared iconography, and the cultural baggage we bring to it, and ’tilt’ the content to provide contemporary insights and commentary. Much of my work references what I call ‘possession-oriented’ genres that include portraiture and sporting painting; by altering these forms, I hope to provoke the viewer to question their intuitive cultural assumptions as well as explore the narrative potential of my imagery.” A sense of familiarity inhabits the work―yet the viewer is struck by a psychological disconnect between the real and imagined.

Another artist who utilizes elements of the familiar in a deconstructed sculptural milieu is John Byrd. Byrd’s highly articulated porcelain forms combine elements of recognizable animal bodyparts punctuated by incongruent mammalian elements. A taxidermy rabbit head sits like a specter atop a neck that seems more appropriate for a horse’s head. Internal organs and muscles peek out from layers of peeled flesh painstakingly carved and burnished to an ivory-like finish.

Artist Kate MacDowell also painstakingly carves porcelain to reveal elements that are metaphorical in nature. MacDowell states: “I hand-sculpt each piece out of porcelain, often building a solid form and then hollowing it out.  Smaller forms are built petal by petal, branch by branch, and allow me the chance to get immersed in close study of the structure of a blossom or a bee.  I chose porcelain for its luminous and ghostly qualities as well as its strength and ability to show fine texture.  It highlights both the impermanence and fragility of natural forms in a dying ecosystem while, paradoxically, being a material that can last for thousands of years and is historically associated with high status and value.  I see each piece as a captured and preserved specimen, a painstaking record of endangered natural forms and a commentary on our own culpability.” Each piece is a microscopic examination of the implications of our behavior on the natural world.

Artist Christopher Torrez is also highly engaged in the minutia of the natural world. Torrez writes: “I am drawn to issues of change, primarily in the natural world and the sciences. The use of a miniature scale reflects the small, yet complex and often overlooked details of the natural world. My forms, although inspired by nature, are not intended to replicate any known species or place. The fragility and the preciousness of these small worlds mimic the similar qualities of a delicate and complex ecosystem―once gone, irreparable. The predominantly white unglazed porcelain creates a quiet, somber quality. It reflects a palette to be filled, a life-force not yet present or that has been drained away. The discussion of the human impact on the environment becomes evident in these miniature worlds.” The inclusion of mirrors and lights create a visual illusion of multiple images without limits.

Artist Carrie Ann Baade paints extremely embellished detailed works that are part mythological story and new-age science fiction. Baade states: “As an artist and subject in my work, I serve as the steward and the axe-man to art’s legacy. Studying with art conservators and looking at the old masters has informed my choice to revitalize the archaic traditions of both traditional oil painting and egg tempera. My subjects are adopted from religion and mythology; these are often cautionary tales that mirror my personal experience. In desiring to speak to the complexity of the human condition, I use this language of allegory and narrative to relate my own story, which is at once an age-old tale.” Baade’s use of hundreds of separate clippings to form a new whole provides the viewer with an arresting array of pictorial references.

Fresh perspective and pristine detail are the hall marks of Wookjae Maeng’s animal heads. Maeng’s porcelain animal heads and other combined cast forms convey a sense of preciousness and fragility. The stark white porcelain against the bright gold eyes of a big horned sheep, or the perforated black porcelain head of a rhino mounted on a wooden board reminiscent of a trophy room in a hunting lodge, remind the viewer of objects known but altered. The deceptively small animal heads are a ghostly reminder of deeds past and actions gone unnoticed by an irresponsible world. Maeng’s work provides the most information with the least amount of detailed information.

Each of the artists exhibiting in ‘Detailed Information’ are masters of their deeply personal narratives—featuring an eye for finite detail while uncovering unique perspectives.

Explicit Content Opens—April 14—May 19

Mindy Solomon Gallery opens Explicit Content April 14 as a pre-cursor to tax day and a good reason to explore sexual expression. Explicit Content reveals “behind closed doors” perspectives on nudity and sexual activity as expressed by leading contemporaries not afraid to disclose social taboos in an “erotic” nature.

Explicit Content-Exploring the non-romantic nature of sex

The purpose of this show is to create a visual and sensory pictorial of the most intimate, yet unemotional aspects of human sexuality. Through the black and white photo journalistically inspired works of Los Angeles prostitutes by Scot Sothern, the sculptural couplings of Christina West, graphic video diaries by Barbara DeGenevieve, fantastical erotic drawings of Bart Johnson, and in your face photos by Becky Flanders, the show will plumb the depths of the most innate physical yearnings.

Artist Scot Sothern states: “LOWLIFE is an illustrated diary of dysfunction; the confessions of a befuddled baby-boomer maintaining a precarious connection to propriety and 
fatherhood while side-tripping into nourish infatuations. These stories and images, shot mostly in Southern California between 1986 and 1990 record the existence of the many disenfranchised Americans, men and women, hawking body 
and soul for the price of a Big Mac and a fix, struggling in a culture that deems them criminal and expendable.” Sothern’s images put a human face to the sex industry-one that defies judgment in the face of desperation, drug addiction, and instant sexual gratification. (Interview here).

Christina West’s figurations are depicted to be anatomically correct at a slightly smaller than normal scale. Their ghost like anonymity implies a level of dispassionate provocation. The highly charged erotic interplay forces the viewer to confront images of sexual arousal not often on display in the public forum.

Bart Johnson’s storied life is punctuated by a voyeuristic journey’s into the darkest realms of the human society. His visits to strip clubs and an interest in the marginalized members of society provide visual fodder for his endless array of eye-popping images. Johnson’s lurid, stream of conscious drawings push the viewer into a visual world of bizarre couplings. The graphic depictions are both repellent and disturbing-the idea of public sexual interactions as normative in a purgatory like environment references Hieronymus Bosch and the medieval notion of Hell. (Interview here).

Barbara DeGenevieve is the grand dame of erotica. Her ground-breaking, voyeuristic works reflect an independence and fearlessness in a world desperate to categorize and qualify. DeGenevieve reflects in her artist statement: “I have used sex as subject matter for more than 25 years in combinations of photographic images, videos, theoretical writings, and sexually explicit monologues. I often call my current work pornographic — when I don’t, I can always be sure someone else will. When I do, it becomes an unstable signifier. What does it mean for a middle-aged woman, a professor, a teacher of theory, a feminist – to write like this, to speak like this, to think these thoughts, to exhibit such bad behavior? I like playing with the vulgar, with the low-class, low-brow, language of traditional porn. I’m suspicious of distinctions that elevate erotica over porn as well as create incommensurability between art and pornography. I’m fascinated by what happens when private language and action enter the public domain, when vernacular “pornographic” vocabulary intersects with cultural analysis, when everything we believe about political correctness is subverted by intemperance, indulgence, desire out of control, and logical reasoning.

My work is not a critique, but rather an embracing of what has been vilified. It is also an acknowledgment of the ways in which pornography [locates/implicates] [me/us] in a realm of what Judith Butler has described as “psychic excess,” that which is systematically denied by the notion of the volitional subject. “The refusal to conflate the subject with the psyche marks the psychic as that which exceeds the domain of the conscious subject.” It is that realm of the unconscious she describes that that becomes so problematic, the consciously inaccessible that creates such turmoil because it compromises volition — what we think we are or what we’re told we should be. In a vain attempt to keep this excess under control, priests deny their obsession with little boys, evangelists with prostitutes, business executives with infantile humiliation fetishes, and feminists with rape fantasies. These are not accusations but rather recognition of the fact that fetishes, whether horrific or benign, become part of this psychic excess.”

Another young feminist striving to express an independent sexual spirit is Becky Flanders. Flanders often uses herself as subject, masking her face, so as to force the viewer to confront genitalia, and in some cases urination. Her uninhibited use of her own body as subject is a bold statement about freedom in sexual expression, and the ability to share it with an anonymous audience. Her spot on camera techniques provide a window into fetish like sexual practices and the viewer’s ability to digest them.

Explicit Content is show that explores raw human sexuality without apology. The works are provocative and dispassionate-a metaphor for the animal longings that are constantly at play within our society. Explicit Content opens Saturday, April 14, 6—8PM and will be on exhibition through May 19, 2012. Please note: we will be presenting material not suitable for young children and a XXX rating does apply. (Above, Bart Johnson).

Meditative Journeys Save the Date

“Meditative Journeys” presents the devotional works of two Korean artists, Sungyee Kim and Lee Kang Hyo, on February 25 through March 31. Opening reception Saturday, February 25 from 6—8PM. More information here. Look out for Art in America and Ceramics’s Art and Perception featuring Sungyee Kim and Lee Kang Hyo.

SCOPE Recap and Kind Thanks

Booth C21 at SCOPE was well received by private collectors, museum representatives and art enthusiasts. Our favorite part was featuring represented artists in the booth—James Kennedy, Gregory Green, Sunkoo Yuh and Sean Noyce were all on hand to share stories and points of inspiration about their work. We are excited to share more, and there are still a few choice works available by all of the featured artists including: Bart Johnson, the de la Torre Brothers, Wookjae Maeng and Kate MacDowell. (Mindy Solomon Gallery was also showcased in Creative Loafing).

Thank you so much for your support during Art Basel Miami and SCOPE. We enjoyed seeing you all in person and appreciate the time you took to say hello to the artists. SCOPE was an amazing success and we look forward to sharing a dynamic showcase with you in 2012.

Art Basel Miami was a great way to get the holidays started. Please contact us for additional information about available work, SCOPE and our current exhibition at the gallery, “Expressions in Form” featuring the sculptural works of Josh DeWeese. Please stop by today.

Kate MacDowell featured at SCOPE

Fine artist Kate MacDowell responds to the impact of contemporary society on the environment. Kate will be presenting two new pieces at SCOPE made of hand built porcelain and cone 6 glaze titled—Serpentine (featured above) and Assisted Living (please see Kate’s interview here).

SCOPE Art Show kicks off in Miami, Florida November 29—December 4. Please visit the Mindy Solomon Gallery at Booth 21 featuring a thought provoking line up that includes:  Bart Johnson, James Kennedy, Einar and Jamex de la Torre, Sean Noyce, Sunkoo Yuh, Gregory Green, Wookjae Maeng and Kate MacDowell.

Josh DeWeese November 12—December 24

The Mindy Solomon Gallery is proud to announce the solo exhibition of ceramics artist, Josh DeWeese, “Expressions in Form,” November 12 through December 24, 2011.

Josh DeWeese creates beautifully enriched, wood fired surfaces that intimate secret meaning beneath the multi layered glaze coating. “I have developed a passion for painting with ceramic materials. I enjoy the phenomenon of the melt and the element of gravity that enters the image through running glaze. The loss of control is important, blurring the lines made with the hand, and introducing a sense of alchemy. The viscosity and movement of the glaze becomes an important element in the final image. I am interested in translating what I see in front of me, whatever it may be.”

“Expressions in Form, the Recent Works of Josh DeWeese” is on exhibit November 12 through December 24 featuring an artist talk and reception on Saturday, November 12 from 6—8PM. Talk will begin promptly at 6PM, see you soon.

Texas Contemporary Booth 811

We are reporting live from Texas, as the convention hall is a buzz. I thought to share a few of the pieces featuring the work of the de la Torre Brothers, Sunkoo Yuh, Wookjae Mang and Sean Noyce. Give the gallery a call or stop on by.