

Black and White Skins, series, Kennedy Yanko, Acrylic and India Ink on rubber, variable sizes
The
BLACK & WHITE Show May 6-June 30, 2014 ALOFT HARLEM, Frederick Douglass
Blvd. at 124 St.
Exhibiting Artists:
Andre Woolery, LeRone B. Wilson, Marcus
Hunter, Michael Ricardo Andreev, Sorin Abraham, Stan Squirewell, Tomo Mori,
Walter Lobyn Hamilton Opening Reception: Featuring live painting by Kennedy Yanko, Music by DJ
Antoine DeBrill, sponsored by PAPI Wines & VOSS Water. Yaron Dotan plus
Kennedy Yanko will create a black & white “skin” during the opening
reception.
April 15, 2014 (Harlem, NYC) – The
Black & White Show opens on May 6 at Aloft Hotel in Harlem featuring mixed media, paintings, pen & ink, and
photography - all in BLACK & WHITE only.
The artists work
in code and nuances, parities and disparities using textures, lines, contrast
and movement to explore ideas and theories.
Marcus Hunter
presents a series of intricate and obscure pen and ink drawings. His work engages
critical theories of race, gender and sexuality through the frenzy of dichotomy
playing off themes of race, religion and mania to explore notions of identity
and social disturbance. Yaron Dotan also
works in pen and ink but on a much larger scale. He uses a language of optical
illusions as a vehicle to express moments of uncertainty and lack of clarity in
relationships. We count on the eye for accurate reporting, but like the
complexity of human bonds, vision too can be a source of mystification. Yaron is firstly a portrait artist but
constantly experiments with subject matter and style. He strives to capture the nuances and
surprises hidden beneath carefully manicured surfaces. The viewer is left to determine the narrative
in Yaron’s drawings as in “She Is Here” where one might wonder if she has
arrived at her destiny or if she remains in a state of searching for self.
LeRone Wilson’s work displays a medley of
textures that stimulate the senses. He
melts beeswax with resin, carnauba and pigment then applies this to a canvas
with different size palette knives creating a highly texturized image that is
both precise and organic. It is this
texture that invokes a heightened emotion or sensation in the observer. Each groove or undulation is not just a thing
of beauty to be admired from a distance, but something we feel connected to
through the expression of touch.
In
their collaborative project, Decoded,
Sorin Abraham and Michael Ricardo Andreev explore through photography and
symbols, the notion of art as mediated through 'languages' in which meaning is
conveyed by indirect reference and symbolic representation. These two artists developed an elaborate
'language' of symbols that reference specific, and often abstract, ideas as a
means of framing their concept in a manner that is reminiscent of Asian
pictographic languages. The symbols,
designed by Michael, are overlaid on Sorin’s photographs, which are influenced
by European classic master painters and their use of subtle symbolism in visual
storytelling.
The other
artists in Black & White use various forms of texture and mixed media to
present images and abstract ideas. Andre
Woolery uses pushpins to reveal the current matrix of society reflecting mainly
on the digital convergence on the modern world and black culture. In this exhibit Andre has taken a departure
from shading with pushpins in vibrant colors and uses space instead to
accomplish a representation of Grace Jones.
Walter Lobyn Hamilton smashes, cuts and manipulates vinyl records in his
depiction of Jimi Hendrix, while Tomo Mori creates an entirely black, abstract
piece in mosaic titled, Black Dream. Stan Squirewell
fuses African culture, symbols, and traditions with contemporary technology
blending photography, paint and sculptural elements revealing a clear path from
ancestral influences to the present-day.
Kennedy Yanko who will be painting live at the opening
reception will create “black & white skin”
on May 6th. Kennedy physically
immerses herself in the paint using her body to give life to her paints. Her
raw energy and strong physique allow her to caress the paint and manipulate the
medium through a mesmerizing, ritualistic dance. To witness the process is an experience that
is personal, raw and unabashedly thrilling.
Each of these artists through what appears to be simple abstractions and
elemental mediums manage to intrigue and arouse the onlooker.
About Art In FLUX: Art In FLUX creates opportunity for artists living and/or
working in Harlem, brings art into public spaces, creates a positive use for
underutilized spaces and stimulates a vibrant neighborhood by merging art,
commerce and community. Art In FLUX Harlem was launched in 2012 and since
then has popped up in empty retail spaces, on the streets, in restaurants, schools
and lobbies bringing art closer to the community as well as attracting media
attention and art collectors to the diverse group of artists in
Harlem. www.artinfluxharlem.com 646-340-3479
NOTE: Additional images and video of Kennedy Yanko
available upon request.
|