Coming Exhibition: Christo Brock, Donn Delson, Gary Polonsky

Tuesday, March 22 – Saturday, April 16, 2016

Christo Brock – DisORDiNARY
Donn Delson – Light Amplification
Gary Polonsky – Pale Blue Dot

Opening Reception:
Saturday, March 26, 5-8PM

Artist Panel Discussion:
Saturday, April 9, at 3PM

Christo Brock
DisORDiNARY

Christo Brock, Metal Dots 1, Photo on aluminum 20x30"

In his latest exhibition, photographer Christo Brock reframes the everyday into the abstract. Form, line, and color become elemental in his treatments of flat and deep space. Formalistic in his approach to line, Brock plays with the contrast of the natural and manmade in the world he inhabits. Using his preferred medium of metal prints, Brock further abstracts form to create a new dialogue with the viewer.

The process of printing on metal is unique. It’s a throwback to older techniques of printing, an analogue of the dye-sublimation process. In the metal printing process, a negative of the image is conveyed to a transfer medium. The aluminum metal is heated to a very precise degree (around 400º), and the transfer medium is married to the heated metal. When the image comes into contact with the metal, the ink gasifies, and the image is printed into the metal. The molecules of the metals absorb the pigments, and they surround the empty space around the metal molecules. When light strikes the metal and is reflected back into the viewer’s eye, a perception of space and iridescence is created.

DisORDiNARY is a continuation of the work Brock has been investigating for the past decade. His keen eye sees the world through a unique and personal lens – lines play and interact with the frame, form is simplified, and colors are reduced to the sensorial. Space is both flat and deep, and the aluminum medium allows for abstraction of form within that space. What results is a new world of elements that challenge our notions of photography and art.

Donn Delson
Light Amplification

Donn Delson, And There Will Be Light, Archival pigment print 40x60"

Exploring the dynamic relationship between light and color, Donn Delson’s current exhibition, Light Amplification, transforms the common conceptions of photography. Intrigued by the manipulation of both natural and manufactured light, Delson explores how motion affects light and how light effects motion. Utilizing a special laser light facility, Delson experimented with laser light vectors, focal lengths, color, motion, and exposure in order to achieve a unique vision for each image. Inspired by artists such as James Turrell and Jose Parla, Delson’s exhibition combines light and color to breathe dimension into his work, creating a surreal sense of space, photographically.

Using color to create a sense of balance within the laser images, Delson’s work interacts and flows, almost as if he is painting with light. Allowing each photograph to tell its own story, Delson chooses to present images that have emotional meaning for him, which also resonate within viewers. With a similar technique that he brings to his landscape photography, Delson approaches his abstracts with a bird’s-eye view for creating a sense of place. For Delson, there must be a special moment, composition, exposure, or perspective; a reason for opening the shutter.

Gary Polonsky
Pale Blue Dot

Gary Polonsky, Jupiter, Acrylic mixed media, 12x14x19"

Fascinated by the beauty of the night sky, Gary Polonsky’s latest exhibition, A Pale Blue Dot, explores the mystery and grandeur of our solar system’s vast array of stars and planets. Beginning with one small version of planet Earth, this series quickly grew alongside Polonsky’s imagination and quest to learn more about “what’s out there”.

Working with acrylic paints and mixed media, Polonsky explores a variety of materials including Styrofoam to create his realistic replications. Polonsky works progressively by adding layer upon layer of textural characteristics such as mountain ranges, clouds, deserts and other details to achieve such realistic three-dimensional objects.

The centerpiece of the show is a large, 24” diameter version of the planet Earth that rotates slowly in the center of the room. On one wall of the gallery sits a large screen TV playing a video presentation featuring American astronomer Carl Sagan, followed by a mesmerizing video of the sun. This combination of media is meant to remind the viewer of our place in the universe -- a humbling experience, and a perspective that deserves note.

TAG Interviews Michael Knight

Michael Knight's current show at TAG is titled Superstitious.  

Michael Knight, Kitty Noir, Scratchboard, 8 x 10"  

We asked him a few questions:  

Tell us about the theme of your show.  
I planned to investigate various aspects of superstition, pulling that concept out of mystery and darkness into the light of recognition. Looking for a medium to help transform my idea, I came upon scratchboard. It seemed the perfect material as white imagery is pulled from the blackness of the board.

Michael Knight, Interloper, Scratchboard, 11 x 14"

What is scratchboard?
Scratchboard is a Masonite covered with a smooth white clay/gesso surface which has been sprayed with a coat of black India ink. The black surface is scratched to reveal the white underneath. Doing so produces line imagery similar to pen and ink drawings. It is similar in that lines, hatching and cross-hatching create value. It is different in that it is a subtractive process where more marks create lighter values instead of darker ones. Hint: Scratch slowly and lightly. If when removing the ink with a sharp X-acto blade, the clay is not gouged deeply, it may be replaced and the imagery redrawn.

Have you had to adapt your palette or composition to accommodate this medium?
At first working with an achromatic pallet seemed restrictive, however I discovered myriad subtleties and differences in the gradations that exist between black and white.

Michael Knight, Crow, Scratchboard,  5 x 7"

Did you miss using color?
It is possible to add color to black and white scratchboard; however its black and white matrix makes a statement in which the addition may seem jarring. I find that color must be used judiciously.

Michael Knight, Saint Dunstain's Revenge, Scratchboard, 12 x 12"

From small to monumental, is there a scale that you prefer to work in?
In the past I have created bigger pieces in the four by six foot range and found them great fun. I now work at a small to medium scale… 9x12 to 30x40. I do this to accommodate my current work space and a growing art storage problem. While strong concept and quality craftsmanship fill my current work, I have come to believe that to the “art elite” size matters. In my opinion, larger pieces tend to claim undeserved importance based mostly on their bigger size.

Michael Knight, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, Scratchboard, 12 x 12"

How or why is a made by hand, one of a kind art piece important?
As an ex-student recently pointed out, handmade art establishes a one-on-one connection between artists and their audience, and that this direct communication relates insights into human experiences, identity, culture and ideas.

What would you like your viewers to take away from their encounter with your artwork?
Besides appreciating the aesthetics involved, I would like them to question or affirm personally held ideas, notions and assumptions about their world views on art and culture.

Michael Knight, Fingers Crossed, Scratchboard, 9 x 12"

Have you had any surprises putting together this show?
I started this series as an intellectual exercise. I did not consider myself superstitious. In the process, I have come to question that. As I worked, I became more emotionally connected to my work. I ended up scrapping a piece that I was doing about “Voodoo” due to an unshakable feeling of foreboding that came over me as I worked on it. Even now something lingers.

“When you believe in things that you don't understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain't the way”.
– Stevie Wonder.

Michael's work will be on view until March 19, 2016.

TAG hosts a Yellow Dot Sale during Bergamot Station's "Spring Fling" -- Saturday, March 19, 12-4pm

Every piece at TAG that has a yellow dot will be 10% off for the duration of the Spring Fling (12-4pm).

Join Bergamot Station Arts Center for their inaugural Spring Fling event, Saturday, March 19th from 12- 4 pm. In the festive spirit of the Holiday Open House this too will be an unparalleled arts and community celebration! Bergamot Station is an internationally renowned creative arts complex, boasting over 40 galleries and creative businesses. The Spring Fling highlights 25 gallery exhibitions and brings together live music, local vendors and special events. Come enjoy a thriving arts community gathering!

This is a FREE family friendly event! There are no tickets necessary to gain admission.

It is highly encouraged that attendees carpool or use services like Lyft and Uber to get to the event. There is limited parking at Bergamot Station and the parking lot will fill up quickly. Check out our Facebook event for Lyft and Uber discount codes.

Special Events and Vendors:

Official Bombay Sapphire sponsored event
Bergamot Café (A3): Festive fare and live music
Apollo Espresso and Shave Ice truck
Border Grill gourmet food truck
Live music from the Venice Symphony Orchestra (1:30 PM at the Bergamot Café)
Argentine Tango instruction by Ilona Glinarsky
Hiromi Paper (G9): Origami 101
Lilla Bello (F1B): Single Stem Sale
bG Gallery (G8a): free portrait painting and photo-booth
SLOAN PROJECTS (B5): Orchid Kokedama (mini gardens) and Ceramics
Laura Korman Gallery (D2): Opening Reception for Penumbra: Randall Stoltzfus
Robert Berman Gallery (B7): Chess on the patio
Lora Schlesinger Gallery (B5b): Keennon Shaw Design Trunk Show (custom fashion and jewelry)
FIG (G6): Opening reception for group exhibition
ROSEGALLERY (G5): Visitor activity challenge at Tomoko Sawada's Facial Signature exhibition
Schomburg Gallery (E3a): Painting demonstration by artist Kathleen Keifer
FREE vinyasa yoga session hosted by Bender with live-DJ.
60 min, all-levels class starts at 11am. Advance RSVP required // details & signup at www.benderLA.com
Free Just Chill natural calming beverage
Free Zouq Gourment Snack Mixes

Artist Spotlight: Go Woon Choi

Everyday Life is the title of Go Woon Choi's current exhibition at TAG, through March 19, 2016.

Go Woon Choi, Prop Composition 01, Oil, 40 x 30"

She is showcasing a series of oil on canvas paintings exploring the beauty and abstract possibilities of common objects. Reflection, refraction, transparency, color, and composition are all considered with great attention to detail.

It all started during one of Choi's travels, when she saw some tools piled in a blue plastic box at a hardware store. She felt compelled to capture the strong feeling the jumble of shapes, reflections, and colors invoked.

Go Woon Choi, Blue Tool Composition 01 01, Oil, 40 x 30"

Back in her studio, she began to set up compositions to paint, arranging disparate objects that aren't typically seen grouped together -- a magpie assortment of shiny things.

Go Woon Choi, Red Prop Composition 05, Oil, 30 x 24"

The use of the background negative space is also carefully considered. Combinations of red, yellow, or blue with black or even shiny foil are arranged to give maximum impact, pushing the very real objects into an abstract realm.

Go Woon Choi, Toy Car Composition 01, Oil, 30 x 24"

Concentrating on color, form, and the play of light, Choi transcends the quotidian function of the objects and creates a hybrid of hyper realism and semi-abstraction. For example, Yellow Prop Composition 01 has tools and a shower hanger but it looks like an abstract painting from far away.

Go Woon Choi, Yellow Prop Composition 01, Oil, 30 x 24"

"Even common objects can appear strong and fantastic under different light conditions and environments," says Choi.

Go Woon will be part of an Artist Panel at TAG this Saturday, March 12, 3pm.
Feel free to leave her any questions here in the comments.

TAG Interviews Elyse Wyman

Sign Language is Elyse Wyman's current show at TAG on view through March 19, 2016.

Elyse Wyman, Woman's Work, Mixed media bas relief, 32 x 15 x 4"

We asked her a few questions:

Have you always lived in Southern California? 
Yes, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. In fact, I am a fourth generation Californian. I did spend a year abroad in Paris, France as a college student. There I studied the great European art traditions as well as the more modern artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Duchamp and many others.

What historical art movement would you choose as identifying most with your work?
I am inspired by Joseph Cornell’s often dream-like shadow boxes, sometimes called “memory boxes” or “poetic theaters.” His work in turn was inspired by Marcel Duchamp’s “readymades” or found objects from the Surrealist Dada art movement. Like Cornell, I am interested in the memories and feelings evoked by the items contained within the female shapes I have chosen as my “memory boxes." I layer the torsos with significant objects, paintings, and personal fragments, exposing the female figure to deeper scrutiny. I invite the viewer to peek into my private world, which is both revealed and concealed within these transparent forms.

What is the significance of plastic forms in your newest work? How do they contribute to the structure, the meaning?
The plastic forms come from the fashion industry. They are highly structured female shapes, most likely designed by men, and are conventionally used to display bathing suits. Their shapes are more akin to the unattainable figure of a Barbie doll than to the flesh and blood human form. In my artwork they function as structural containers for the assemblages inside them. They serve as both physical and psychological containers for the artwork within their confines. They display the female as both subject and object. These visual double entendres demonstrate how context can determine meaning and how meaning changes according to context.

Elyse Wyman, Yield/Allegorical Muse, Mixed media bas relief, 34 x 15 x 4"

What are the key themes that run through your work?
In this latest body of work I explore the dynamics and interrelationships of female identity, sexuality, gender and body stereotypes. I am attempting to illuminate the deeper emotional level generally hidden by the more carefully managed armor we show to the outside world.
I also fuse separate entities to reveal things we often take for granted. Seemingly ordinary road and warning signs (such as “Yield,” “No Outlet” and “Keep Off The Grass”) take on new meaning when placed inside the female form. This intersection of disparate elements results in new, sometimes humorous interpretations.

Elyse Wyman, Keep Off the Grass, Mixed media bas relief, 29 x 15 x 4"

How do you like people to view your work—from across the room, or close up?
If I were viewing my show for the first time I would stand back at first to take in the span of the colorful bas-relief figures hanging on the wall from coat hangers. Then, I’d definitely come in for a closer look at each piece as there are many interesting details to discover in each of them. For instance, “Empty Nest” contains an actual Hummingbird nest and a gold leafed leaf. “Exposed Heart” features a rare piece of red seaweed as its core. “The Grass Is Always Greener” and “Keep Off The Grass” both feature strategically placed fake grass.

Elyse Wyman, Installation View

Elyse Wyman, Empty Nest, Mixed media bas relief, 34 x 15 x 4"

Elyse will be part of an Artist Panel at TAG this Saturday, March 12, 3pm.
Feel free to leave her any questions here in the comments.