Indiesart .com

Featuring: Handiedan, Charmaine Olivia, Craww and Tatiana Suarez

Opening night September 1, 2011 6pm – 10pm
show on view through September 22, 2011

Spoke Art is pleased to present our September Group Show featuring four artists from around the world. While there is a similar subject matter, each artist has their own individual aesthetic, form of medium and exploration of technique for representing the female figure in a substantially different way. We are excited to announce that all four artists will be in attendance.

Handiedan’s layered and intricate collages are influenced by old pin-up girl posters and movie images. She collects found items in the streets, old buildings, flea markets, and during her travels which she then later alters to create new works. In her artwork you can find Chinese post papers, cook book pages, old stamps, fabric, rusty nails, dried flowers, currency, and old movie posters. Charmaine Olivia’s arresting oil paintings capture sensual tattooed women. Whether they are wearing a fox mask, a feathery headdress, or there is a ship emerging from a tangle of black hair, it is hard to pull your eyes away from these beauties. In a recent interview she says, “As most of my paintings are some sort of reflection of me, this is me living vicariously through them.” Craww uses graphite and acrylic paints to fabricate seductively dark and fantastical women who come to him in his day-dreams. He enjoys seeing his creations evolve into something unexpected as he paints. He describes his work as “stream of consciousness doodlings and paintings. Steeped in ambiguity, often melancholic and usually featuring big hands and crows.” Tatiana Suarez is a multifaceted artist who primarily uses oils although you can also find her on the streets painting murals with a graffiti can. Her fascination with faces and emotional facial expression inspires her to create unique and vivid portraits. Touching on symbols and mythology from her Brazilian and El Salvadorian background, her trademark wide-eyed girls conjure other-worldly fantasy.

September 3rd – September 25th
Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 3rd, 7-11pm

NEW YORK, NY (September 3rd, 2011) — Last Rites Gallery presents Returning Art To The Unclean.
New works by Brian M. Viveros.

Known for his strong and sensuous depictions of women, Brian M. Viveros is a master of contemporary iconography paying homage to the femme fatale. While he almost exclusively paints portraits, within the expressions of his women is conveyed such deep emotion and overwhelming sexuality that his work is undeniably erotic. Often without even a hint of nudity, the viewer is seduced with a mere pout and gaze from his subject’s faces. Although carrying on a long tradition of the alluring female in art, his work differs from Pin-Up style images of the past. Aside from the absence of figurative representation, the commanding subjects in his art contrast “Cheesecake” ideology of the soft and innocent. Instead, with her empowered stare, the Viveros smoking bad-girls flaunt battle scars, tattoos, and army paraphernalia. A force to be reckoned with, she is the epitome of a subculture heralding a new era with shifting ideals. This underlying concept of grit combined with sensuality is brought forth in his execution and paint handling, as flesh rendered with an almost touchable suppleness is juxtaposed by paint splatters and brushstrokes. With explosive compositions and an unmistakable style, Viveros creates 20th century representations of both beauty and culture.

Brian’s paintings have appeared in museums and galleries throughout the world, and featured by media including Juxtapoz, Tattoo Society, Hi Fructose, Skin Two, TLC’s LA Ink and more. In 2005 Viveros made his directing debut with his short “Dislandia”, and he has since created the full length feature “Southern” and other films, which have premiered internationally and have been featured on networks including The Sundance Channel.

In what will be Brian’s second showing at the gallery, the opening will feature an all new collection of original paintings, as well as special rare prints from the artist’s own collection; poster giveaway and signing; live “Smoking Army” performance; screening of Brian’s films along with his new short, and much more.

August 19th – September 10th, 2011
Artist reception: Friday, August 19th, 7-10p

LeBasse Projects :: Chinatown
932 Chung King Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 621-9988

Los Angeles, CA – LeBasse Projects :: Chinatown is proud to announce ‘Golden
Structure,’ a solo exhibition from Los Angeles based artist, Ken Garduno.

In his new body of work, Garduno continues to explore themes of how people
respond to one another, particularly in relationships. Influenced by the
overly dramatic Spanish Novelas, Garduno puts into question our own
relationships and suggests that real life can easily turn into soap
opera-like situations.

Garduno sheds light on our tendencies to construct unrealistic expectations
of our loved ones and explores the disintegration of these ideals. The
exhibition title, ‘Golden Structure’ is based on an idea of this precious
structure that slowly ages and falls apart.

In Garduno’s new exhibition, the artist returns with a matured body of
watercolor and ink paintings. Known more by his monotone color scheme,
Garduno’s characters are brought to life with a refreshing Technicolor
palette. The artist shows us the difficulties in maintaining love and its
relationships, as well as the tendencies to take things too far and serious.
The central figures create an unsettling dialog riddled with jealousy,
betrayal and a pronounced sense of sexual tension.

About Ken Garduno
Ken Garduno graduated in 2006, with honors in illustration from Art Center
College of Design in Pasadena, California. After graduating, Ken pursued a
career as a freelance illustrator/gallery artist. His work has been shown in
galleries internationally, as well as in various publications, album art,
and t-shirt designs. His clients include the New York Times, LA Weekly, LA
Citybeat, SF Weekly, Esquire Russia, and the Pasadena Weekly.

About LeBasse Projects
LeBasse Projects is a contemporary art gallery committed to showcasing the
talents of a select group of international artists. Since opening its doors
in Los Angeles, Culver City Arts District in 2007, LeBasse highlights
emerging talent and is focused on developing the careers of a select group
including Yoskay Yamamoto, Mike Stilkey, Herakut, Nate Frizzell, Andrew Hem,
Melissa Haslam, Alexandros Vasmoulakis, Thomas Doyle, Morgan Slade and more.