ROOT DIVISION - GUERRERO - GALERIA DE LA RAZA

SHOOTING GALLERY - WHITE WALLS - GALLERY THREE

01.12.13 Part II

(with assistance from Brandi Lee and RWM)



My early coverage of the SF art scene in 2003. Click Here.

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Root Division : Alumni Exhibition & 10 Year Anniversary Celebration.

Artists: Elizabeth Bernstein, Adam Friedman, Dana Hemenway, Melissa Hutton, John-Mark Ikeda, David O. Johnson, Ryan Jones, Michael Krouse, Whitney Lynn, Dennis McNulty, Robert Minervini, Chelsea Pegram, Surabhi Saraf, Nathan Suter, Kevin E. Taylor, Mitch Temple, Chris Thorson, Chris Treggiari, Dave Warnke, Brooke Westfall.

Review by Brandi Lee: A packed house makes navigating the Alumni & 10th Anniversary show at Root Division challenging, but the art is worth the effort. Chelsea Pegram's "Untitled (Paper Scar)" is alluring. The form seems immediately familiar, but took a few moments to fully recognize it is a paper cast of an oak tree 'scar.' The fragile medium defies the strength of the source, while Pegram cleverly casts the tree's wound in paper-- what we cut trees down for. Artistic irony at its best.

Rachelle Reichert's drawings combine assortments of delicate flowers on and around the nude female form. The rendering is beautiful and the eye moves effortlessly from flora to figure and back.

Tobias Tovera's large-scale pieces bring to mind fractals, geography and organic matter. The rusty hues are actually that-- rust. Closer inspection of what Tovera calls "Permutations of Iron" reveals the delicate crystals (most likely) left over from the rusting process. If touching art were allowed... I'd recommend stopping by Tobias's studio.

Comment by RWM: Congratulations. Great 10th Anniversary show. Cool and challenging things on display like usual. Thank you.

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Guerrero Gallery : By Way of the South, Going Home. Milk & Honey. Both shows curated by Justin Van Hoy.

Artists: Frank McCauley, Reed Elliott, Tim Hussey, Kelly Keith, Paul Martyka, Tom Stanley, JFR, Justin Waugh, Jeremy Shockley, Kevin Earl Taylor, Kevin Morrisey, Jon Prichard, John Hill, Shepard Fairey, Brent Ownes, Will Hays, Bill McRight, Jon Rajkivich, West One, Sage Vaughn, Steven Harrington, Damon Way, Cali deWitt, Dan Monick, Greg Bojoquez, Jeremy & Claire Weiss, Emily Shur, RJ Shaughnessy, Aaron Farley, Souther Salazar, Erin Garcia, Travis Millard, Mel Kadel, Cleon Peterson, Justin Kreitemeyer, Hassan Rahim, Richard Colman, Justin Van Hoy, Jared Eberhart, Ashley Snow Macomber, Christopher Bettig.

Comment by AB: Curated by Justin Van Hoy, the group show in the main gallery features artists who are connected in one way or another by the state of South Carolina, and who additionally influenced or affected Van Hoy in some way. In the Project Room, Milk & Honey shows work related a book of the same name that Van Hoy authored about contemporary California art. Justin passed away recently and both shows are dedicated to the his extensive contributions to the art community.

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Galeria de la Raza : Navigating the Queer Pacific Waves.

Artists: Jean Melesaine, Fuifuilupe Niumeitolu, Jorge Manuel Gonzales, Joy Enomoto, more.

Comment by AB: The show explores cultural interactions between queer Pacific Islanders and Western culture. Unfortunately, I'm here during the testimonials, so can't get pics of the art. But as you can see, the event is exceptionally well-attended.

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The Shooting Gallery : Winter Group Show.

Artists: Ferris Plock, Casey Gray, APEX, Michael Page, Aaron Nagel, John Felix Arnold III, Hugh Leeman, Jet Martinez, C215, Ernesto Yerena, Morgan Slade, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Adam Rozan, Lauren Napolitano, Bryan Schnelle.

Comment by AB: This is the final show at The Shooting Gallery's current location. They've been here ten years and are about to move into new and larger digs about a block away. The artists selected for this show not only commemorate the gallery's history, but also offer a glimpse of what's to come.

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White Walls Gallery : The New Race - Solo Show by David Young (D Young V).

Comment by AB: D Young V transforms the gallery from floor to ceiling into a repository for the trappings of a chillingly convincing New World Order, complete with its own language, gestures, inhabitants, emblems, insignias, symbols, military, weapons and more. The age of oppression may be just around the corner-- or perhaps it's already here, as power-crazed entities increasingly assert their influence in order to control our lives, actions... and even our minds. Definitely worth seeing.

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Gallery Three at White Walls Gallery : Security - Exhibition and Performance by Adam Rozan.

Comment by AB: Adam Rozan continues his investigations into the role of security personnel in society, from the perspectives of the personnel themselves as well as of those who are being watched.

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