(VIA Corey Helford Press Release)
RON ENGLISH
“Seasons In Supurbia”
Opening Reception Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 7‑10pm
On View November 19 - December 10, 2011
Corey Helford Gallery
8522 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
310-287-2340
www.coreyhelfordgallery.com
On Saturday, November 19, Corey Helford Gallery is pleased to present “Seasons In Supurbia,” the highly anticipated solo exhibition of original new works by Ron English, renowned street artist and master pop surrealist painter.
Considered one of the most prolific artists of our generation, English is the father of POPaganda, a term he coined to define his signature mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, from superhero mythology to totems of art history, creating a visual language of evolution. Recognized for his stunning technique and inventive use of color, English’s artistic presence continues to evolve from illegal street murals to movie screens, where he is crowned “the Greatest Living Artist” in Morgan Spurlock’s 2011 film “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.”
For his first solo exhibition with Corey Helford Gallery, English captures intimate moments in suburban life — dosed with a cocktail of subversive visuals, consumer culture, and POPaganda politics. In this series the artist explores the inability of the 21st century oversaturated American soul to distinguish between political realities and pop culture illusions, constructing doll-house depictions of comic-contrived reality to compete against global belief systems. In short: Suburban Surrealism.
Many of English’s archetypal characters serve as denizens of Supurbia, including MC Supersized, the corpulent fast-food spokesman, Hulk Baby, the oversized Enfant Terrible, Combrats, the child soldiers, sexualized cowgirls, alien rabbits, proletariat turtles, sad sacks and sinister Grins. Outside, grazing the lawns of Supurbia, are herds of Camo Deer, with coats of camouflage that change with the seasons, protecting them from the hunter’s scope while preserving them like a romantic memory from the last days of baby boomer youth.
“Seasons In Supurbia” features 18 new paintings, including the original poster artwork for Pearl Jam’s recent Vancouver performance. The exhibition follows English 101, English’s print, toy and sculpture show at Post No Bills in Venice, California that runs from October 6 through 30.
The opening reception for “Seasons In Supurbia” takes place on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at Corey Helford Gallery and is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view through December 10, 2011.
Ron English
One of the most prolific and recognizable artists alive today, New York-based painter and street artist Ron English has bombed the global landscape with unforgettable images, on the street, in museums, in movies, books, television, and album covers. In addition to his fine art painting, English is widely considered a catalytic figure in the advancement of street art away from traditional wild-style lettering and into clever statement and masterful trompe l’oeil based art. Creating illegal murals and billboards that blend stunning visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements, English has hijacked public space worldwide for the sake of art. Featured in the hit movies “Supersize Me” and “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” English has also made numerous television appearances worldwide. He is the subject of the 2006 award-winning documentary, “POPaganda, the Art and Crimes of Ron English” and the 2009 documentary “Abraham Obama.” His work resides in the permanent collections of Rome’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MACRO), Paris’ Museum of Modern Art, and others. He is prominently featured in every major book about Street Art and has produced several art books, including “Popaganda,” “Son of Pop,” “Abject Expressionism,” “Lazarus Rising,” and “Abraham Obama.” Ron English continues to create art that propels unstated cultural norms just beyond the bounds of comfort into a disconcerting realm simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.
No comments:
Post a Comment