A selection of art on display at La Luz de Jesus 25, Part 1
I had a fantastic night last night at the La Luz de Jesus 25th Anniversary Show, Part 1 preview for artists and press. Part of the two month celebration of the remarkable gallery’s milestone, Part 1 features more than a hundred artists representing the breadth of genres La Luz showcases. I was honored to be included in the guest list only event, where I had the opportunity to meet artists Myron Conan Dyal, Joe Coleman, Gary Baseman and Marco Almera and to reconnect with Christopher Ulrich, Krystopher Sapp and Dr. Paul Koudounaris. The show was pretty packed, so I can only imagine how crowded the public openings, tonight and tomorrow are going to be. It’s such an important show, however, a reflection of all the underground styles that La Luz has given a respectful venue, that it’s worth it to brave the crowds.
Along with the show, La Luz de Jesus has a companion book which includes the over 250 pieces of art from both shows and a statement from each artist. My budget is all tied up in Halloween right now, so I’m waiting to get my copy next month. But it was fun to watch many people, including the artists, going around collecting signatures. It was like the end of the year at school when yearbooks come out and everyone passes around their books and writes little messages. A lot of the artists were adding doodles to their signatures. At one point, I was standing next to a group that included artists Van Saro, Christopher Ulrich and Myron Conan Dyal, all exchanging books for signatures, and Myron signed a book and tried to pass it back to someone who said, that’s your book! He’d been signing so many that he’d lost track of his own and given his autograph to himself!
Ghosts! by Myron Conan Dyal and on display this month, captures four souls. The piece likens beauty, because of its transient nature, to death. Each of the four figures in the mixed media work represents a woman in Myron's life. The skull comes from the cover of a learn how to draw human anatomy book that Myron had as a child. Myron, who suffers from epilepsy which gives him vivid hallucinations that feed his artwork, came to art very late in life. Until his forties he worked mostly as a classical musician. He prefers sculptures, and is better known for large-scale sculptural work, so this piece is an unusual, but beautiful departure.
Christopher Ulrich (left) and Myron Conan Dyal (right) sign copies of the La Luz de Jesus 25 book
Very beautiful, Paloma Bianca by Marco Almera, acrylic on black velvet
Hyaena Gallery owner Bill Shafer and assemblage artist Krys Sapp (whose piece is in the second month of the 25 Anniversary Show), share an intimate moment.
I really want to talk to artist Joanne Stephens about this piece, Acquiescent Dreamer. I'm curious about the contrast of the feminine beauty as represented by the porcelain figure, the swans and the pink shells which evoke female genitalia, and the softness of the fur contrasted by the dark framework of the bed. I'm also obsessed with the medieval headboard and want one for myself.
That's me, Dahlia Jane (left) with artist Gary Baseman (right). So it turns out that Gary Baseman and I have the same camera, the Canon Power Shot S95, which makes sense since it's the best camera ever. But Gary has done a lot more experiments with his than I have with mine, and he was showing me some tricks. He held the camera out in front of us and took this black and white photo. Gary has a painting in the second month show.
Gary Baseman also took this photo of Billy Shire. I didn't edit it at all. I have two original Gary Baseman photos now! That's pretty cool!
The Triumph of Burlesque in the Age of Sodom and Gomorrah is a very small, breathtakingly detailed acrylic painting, whose subject matter is very personal to the artist Joe Coleman. Joe sees Burlesque as a high form of artistic self expression, that allows the performers to rise above the monstrous world. Each person depicted in the show is a Burlesque performer who works at Coney Island. They are a family. The prominent couple, the symbolic parents, are Mat Sealboy Fraser, born with phocomelia of both arms because his mother took thalidomide during her pregnancy, and his voluptuous wife, who Joe describes as one of the most beautiful burlesque performers ever.
Artist Joe Coleman is an incredibly interesting personality. Not only does he paint intricate grotesqueries, he also has a life as a performer in film, television, and sideshow. He is known for blowing himself up with dynamite. Living in Brooklyn, he also collects oddities, serial killer ephemera and religious artifacts for his Odditorium which few people get to see and I would give my right arm to visit.
I really like both of these pieces. Feast of the Undead (left) by Craig LaRotunda is one of my favorites. And Sissy (right), by Mark Gleason makes me smile.
Van Saro (left) talks to Christopher Ulrich (far right) about street art vs. showing in galleries. Van Saro says street art projects reinvigorate his creativity and help him reconnect to the community. They are like a drug for him. He joked that he'll be an old man in a walker, planning crazy missions. Both artists have pieces in the second month.
Dr. Paul Koudounaris (left), author of my favorite book right now, The Empire of Death, and Lee Joseph, gallery publicist
I joined a strange conversation with this group, which included photographer Karen Hsiao (in the black jacket with red earrings) and La Luz Gallery Director Matt Kennedy (far right). Karen was discussing performance art she had participated in that involved having an abortion on stage, and her fixation with blood. She loves blood. Which led me to talk about an artist who paints with her own menstrual blood (actually, I couldn't remember her name, so I was googling it now, and it turns out there are multiple artists painting with their menstrual blood). Anyway it was another highly random, but interesting interaction. In the background of this photo you can see artists Gary Baseman and Van Saro and DJ Trek.
Congratulations La Luz! And thank you to everyone at La Luz de Jesus for allowing me to be a part of the preview night and to all the artists who graciously answered my questions. La Luz de Jesus 25, Part 1, opens to the public tonight and can be viewed at the gallery through October. Part 2 opens November 4 and 5. For more information, visit La Luz de Jesus’ website.
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Sounds like a fascinating evening all round. Some gorgeous and some disturbing pieces so the best of the art world I suppose.