Curator's Picks: Raul Barquet, Assistant Director
As the global pandemic continues, our curatorial team is taking a look back at earlier exhibitions and pointing a spotlight at a few of their favorite works.
Below are eight picks by Spoke Art Assistant Director Raul Barquet. View full details for his selections here and read below to get his take on each piece!
Elizabeth Bergeland, Half a Heart pt. 1
This painting by Elizabeth Bergeland is a fantastic exercise in minimalism. The stripe motif, reminiscent of the decoration of custom vans from the 1970's, plays well as a two dimensional accent against the realistic artichoke seemingly placed on the surface of the canvas.
Helice Wen, With Me No.2
Pairing realism and color blocked patterns, Helice Wen creates a surreal composition that visually reads as collage. The artist's painterly approach stays consistent throughout the whole piece regardless of whether its applied to contours of skin or simplified flower graphics.
Serge Gay Jr., Golden Sunrise
Emerging from a monochrome wall of Monstera deliciosa leaves, the subject, bathed in colored light, peers directly toward the viewer. Her palm tree hairstyle bisecting the solar disk placed behind her head that is a repeating element in the artist, Serge Gay Jr.'s work.
Lauren YS, Lollybanger
Drawing inspiration for her work from dreams and psychedelia among other influences, Lauren YS creates an eyeball headed character featured prominently in Lollybanger. The dreamworld humanoid floats above a stark white background almost creating a trompe l'oeil effect.
GATS, Keep IT Moving #2
Graffiti icon GATS has routinely used found objects in his work for some time. This piece seamlessly pairs the artists highly stylized lettering with a vintage hand painted Thomas the Tank Engine sign. Referencing the long history of freight train graffiti, this piece breathes new meaning into a discarded relic of yesteryear.
Nadezda, Sazerac
The sounds of New Orleans brass bands can almost be heard wafting from the phonograph situated in Nadezda's painting Sazerac. The subject, slouched in his chair nods off with the eponymous cocktail in hand. This moody composition in the vein of John Singer Sargent, was created as part of the ongoing Moleskine Project.
Kelsey Beckett, Drawing #11 Beauty in Decay Study
Kelsey Beckett's exhibition Brides of Summer not only featured breathtaking oil paintings but also included a number of beautifully delicate graphite studies. These ethereal drawings offer an intimate opportunity to gain some insight into the artists decision making process.
Mike Shine, BS - Carny Letters
Reminiscent of American folk art and sign painting, Mike Shine's BS - Carny Letters, utilizes decorative block text similar to that adorning the midways of early 20th Century carnivals. The three-dimensionally illustrated monogram appears to float over a section of tree trunk painted with a harlequin diamond motif. The artist's choice of imagery draws from a time considered nostalgic to many.
I hope everyone is managing to stay occupied until life goes back to normal. Until then thank you for letting us bring some art into your lives!
