Denver, CO 80206
Guest-curated by David Gluck
April 8 – May 7, 2016
Opening Reception: Friday, April 8, 6-9 p.m.
Abend Gallery presents Nexus, an exhibition showcasing the work of artists from two seemingly dissimilar artistic disciplines: painting and tattooing.
In reality, the artists of each craft have much in common, as do the collectors themselves. Tattoo and painting, as different as their consumer demographics are, satisfy the same needs in their enthusiasts: the need for beauty, for adornment, for personal meaning, for longevity. Like acquiring a painting, acquiring a tattoo must mean the acquisition of an aesthetic and well-crafted work of art that will last a lifetime.
The dominant art form of a generation is in constant flux as technology evolves and tastes change. Tattoo art and painting are both ancient disciplines with a firm grip on their own dedicated subculture. While tattoo art is emerging as an every-man’s art form, painting, the dominant institution in the visual art world for millennia, remains a strong inspiration to new artists of all mediums, including tattoo artists. Now this influence can be seen manifesting in both directions, with painters taking influence from the subject matter and trends of the tattoo arts.
The works in this show are all paintings by fine artists who have been influenced by tattoo culture and the imagery intrinsic to that culture; by tattoo artists who wield paintbrushes, and by several individuals who have successfully made a dual career out of both painting and tattooing. In these paintings one can witness the influence and crossover between the two mediums and subcultures.
Participating Artists: Erin Anderson, Shawn Barber, Jennifer Balkan, James Caffyn, Joshua Carlton, Sean Cheetham, Carl Dobsky, Felcia Forte, David Gluck, Adrian Gottlieb, Jeffrey Hein, Mat Hurtado, Nikko Hurtado, David Kassan, John Lally, Henry Lewis, Shana Levenson, Jeremy Mann, Alexandra Manukyan, Ian Mckown, Aaron Nagel, Oda and King, Teresa Oaxaca, Karla Ortiz, Julio Reyes, Camila Rocha, Sergio Sanchez, Che Smith, Carlos Torres, John Wentz, Pamela Wilson, Vincent Xeus, Kate Zambrano
Abend Gallery Fine Art was established in 1990 and offers an extensive collection of fine art from fresh, contemporary works to traditional, representational paintings and sculpture by national and internationally recognized professional artists.