SERGIO GARCIA
United States
TIME SENSITIVE
Group Show
Featuring: Sergio Garcia, Joris Ghilini, Max Kauffman
Billy Kheel, Lindsey Kuhn, Gabe Richesson and Paul Rousso
Exhibit runs February 15th – March 7th 2020
Black Book Gallery is pleased to present Time Sensitive, a group show inspired by nostalgia and collective memory. Time Sensitive features gallery artists Sergio Garcia, Max Kauffman, Billy Kheel, Lindsey Kuhn and Gabe Richesson, as well as Joris Ghilini and Paul Rousso, whose work Black Book is excited to introduce to our collectors. The exhibition runs from February 15 – March 7, 2020 and will open on Saturday, February 15th with a reception from 7-9pm that is free and open to the public.
So far, this decade (much like the last one) has been marked by widespread anxiety and unrest – political, environmental, social and economic. Emerging technologies are disrupting aging industries and spawning new ones on a daily basis. International relations seem hell-bent on self-destruction. Entire continents are literally on fire. In this climate of collective upheaval, nostalgia operates as a powerful opiate for the masses, romanticizing where we’ve been while mitigating fears of where we’re heading. Each of the artists featured in Time Sensitive approach the theme of nostalgia differently, but an affection for the cultural relics of decades past – such as teenage idols, retro electronics, brand logos and graphic design – resonates across each of their works.
French artist Joris Ghilini creates wood sculptures and paintings of decaying icons from art history and pop culture. His latest body of work includes a pair of destroyed Nikes and two paintings: “Crying Girl” & “Portrait of Dora Maar” (Maar was a French surrealist and one of Picasso’s muses). By reinterpreting historical objects and personas with cultural cache, Ghilini’s work questions the very notion of iconography. “Things are constantly a work in progress,” he explains. “In this way I don’t hesitate to embrace the ‘déja vu’ or to challenge the myth, the hero or the sacred, to demystify it, divert it, to make it more fragile in order to tell a new story.”
Max Kauffman also memorializes artifacts of the not-so-distant past – such as cassette tapes – but in bronze, a nearly indestructible material that implies a certain grandiosity and is thus an ironic medium for commemorating obsolete technologies. Kauffman’s painting is more personal and references the artist’s homeland and nomadic ancestry. “My family did some DNA testing and found we only had 1-2% Russian background and 48% Ashkenazi Jew,” he says, “They settled in Russia on a stretch called the levant, but were sort of gypsies. This discovery opened up a swath of questions and research into that area of the world- lots of weird stuff happened there including petroglyphs on the scale of the Nazca lines.”
Paul Rousso’s large-scale wall sculptures of vintage currency and candy wrappers evoke strong memories of products that we instantly recognize, but which technically no longer exist – as technology evolves, their material states are being constantly reconstructed. Rousso believes that our devotion to these disappearing brands is calculated by our memories of their packaging, which we associate with our younger, more innocent selves. Currency is also constantly evolving, from paper bills to crypto Bitcoin. Today, the $1000 bill looks practically comical, despite its one-time circulation – a cognitive dissonance that Rousso amplifies through his oversized sculptures.
Sergio Garcia’s oversized sculptures of skateboard wheels pay playful homage to the defining adolescent subculture of the 1990s and 2000s. Garcia views the skateboard wheel as an integral, yet often overlooked, symbol of the skateboarding ethos. To Garcia, once a set of wheels has been used they assume a new significance, representing the places (and surfaces) skated, like a trophy or badge of honor for teenage rites of passage.
Gabe Richesson’s stylized portraits of musicians and professional athletes include both historical and personal references to various cartoon characters, mascots and logos pulled from retro pop culture. In his paintings, Richesson draws inspiration from bands like The Grateful Dead – the epitome of hippie nostalgia – as well as heavy metal antiheroes like Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
Billy Kheel’s felt tapestries invoke memories of junior high home ec classes, while tapping into the youthful idolizing of superstar athletes and rappers. Billy was a contestant on NBC’s first season of “Making It” where he brought his love for sports, family and felt to the national forefront. Subjects of this body of work include Wilt Chamberlain, Biggie (on a Shaq jersey) and James “The Beard” Harden – icons of African American pop-culture.
Finally, Lindsey Kuhn’s graphic work draws on the poster art aesthetic of the 1950s and 1960s, when “Reefer Madness” was being propagated as a national public health crisis. Lindsey is colorblind, which is why his posters combine so many vivid colors. His compositions reference prototypical 80’s kid nostalgia – aliens, mass-propaganda, skateboarding and psychedelic culture.
As Black Book Gallery’s first exhibition of this new decade, Time Sensitive invites you to take a break from our anxiety-laden present and revel in the rose-colored comforts of our collective past.
We, as humans, are naturally drawn to the unorthodox. I have always enjoyed the use of the unconventional as a base for my artwork. I enjoy creating art that people can relate to and that stimulates the creative subconscious. Not only to create an emotional relationship between art and viewer, but to conjure up questions of how and why. It is this desire to create a connection with the viewer that fuels my creativity.
My passion is creating a perfect balance of light and shadow. Light is the core of my artwork. Without light there is no art. Without art there is no life. Amen, brother.
Any general insight into your process creating the work for this exhibit you want to share?
I’m working on a few new concepts. I really like the works to flow. I’m hoping people can see some what of a connection in the works of ” everybody wants somewhere”
What is more important – Content or technique?
A balance of both is important to me without getting too wrapped up on either.
I sound like I’m doing the safe answer but it’s so true.
How many hours do your pieces generally take to complete?
It normally takes a few weeks give or take. Each piece is a little different.
If I’ve done something similar before I can do it a lot faster.
What are some of the responses you hear in regards to your work?
I’ve heard a lot. The responses I like the most are from people who need to go out of there way to tell me how much they like the piece. I’ve had rappers tell me they really felt it. To like a plumber or beauty salon worker. I like it when people connect. I really enjoy it when people smile.
Describe your work environment – Music you listen to, things you drink/smoke, time of day etc
I have 2 studios one is more of an automotive custom paint shop that I own.
The other is just a small warehouse area. Both of them are pretty grimey. I listen to a lot of music Fugazi, Jawbox, Radiohead, Outkast mostly pandora.
What is currently influencing you that might surprise people?
I’m always influenced by what’s going on around me but not what’s just popular for the week type of deal. I try to have a slight sense of humor with my work.
You work with a variety of materials and media, do you prefer one over the other?
I like skipping around welding, casting, sanding, painting and glass blowing. It helps me not get in a rut. I feel trapped if I get too repetitive and I stop enjoying it.
If you could choose only one, would you rather be thought of as a great artist or a nice person?
Great artist. I can’t control what people think of me. I like to think I’m a nice person.
I think Bob Ross won both of those categories.
Ashes To Ashes We All Fall
Project Room
September 9th – September 30th 2017
This September we welcome Sergio Garcia back to the gallery for an exhibit featuring new work that as always, sets the bar even higher than before. Because the majority of his work is 3D you would be safe to assume his focus is sculpting but it’s important to note his painting abilities throughout these new works.
Setting it off is a trio of gigantic ashtrays with joints and roaches that look so real you want to grab one and start smoking. Two of the ashtrays feature the iconic “High Times” logo with the third piece being a collaboration featuring a painting from GZ1 of his infamous Bartfield character. Sergio puts lots of detail and craftsmanship into these, his ability to sculpt and paint a wide variety of textures and medias allows for the organic and synthetic materials to flawlessly coexist.
Next, being shown for the first time is two new works that bring iconic music album covers to life in 3D. Depending on your age, album cover art has played a significant and lasting role in your music memories. “I Remember My First License” is a recreation of the infamous David Gamboli designed Beastie Boys “License To Ill” album art of a wrecked airplane. “Seeing Red” is a recreation of the Minor Threat album art from Dischord Records featuring a man hunched over on a stoop. In both works Sergio provokes our interest and nostalgia by creating a new visual context that adds even more emotion to all time classics.
Included in the show you will also find one of Sergio’s instantly recognizable sets of arms protruding from the wall frozen mid motion while rolling a blunt. This piece is another great example of Sergio’s sculpting and painting abilities coming together to create an insanely realistic effect.
Lastly, a new piece from a recent series featuring used cigarette butts. “Ashes To Ashes We All Fall Down” is two feet long and was made with a combination of foam and mixed media.
Contact us if you are interested in a commission.
Everybody Wants Somewhere
Project Room
September 12th – October 10th 2015
“Baker 95A”
Media: Foam, resin and automotive paint
Size: 12 Inch Diameter / 30 cm Diameter
Year: 2020
Signed & Dated: Yes
Price: $1000
Availability: Inquire
“Powell Rat Bones”
Media: Foam, resin and automotive paint
Size: 24 Inch Diameter / 61 cm Diameter
Year: 2020
Signed & Dated: Yes
Price: $3200
Availability: Inquire
“Slime Ball Pink 2”
Media: Foam, resin and automotive paint
Size: 12 Inch Diameter / 30 cm Diameter
Year: 2020
Signed & Dated: Yes
Price: $1000
Availability: Inquire
“HIGH TIMES”
Media: Resin, wood and automotive paint
Size: 12 Inch Diameter
Year: 2017
Price: $1500
Availability: SOLD
“RED ASHTRAY”
Media: Resin, wood and automotive paint
Size: 12 Inch Diameter
Year: 2017
Price: $1200
Availability: SOLD
“WEED IS TITE” – COLLABORATION WITH GZ1
Media: Resin, acrylic, wood and automotive paint
Size: 12 Inch Diameter
Year: 2017
Price: $1500
Availability: SOLD
“I DON’T MEAN TO BE BLUNT”
Media: Resin, acrylic and mixed media
Size: 10 x 13 Inches
Year: 2017
Price: $2500
Availability: SOLD
“ASHES TO ASHES WE ALL FALL DOWN”
Media: Resin, acrylic, wood and automotive paint
Size: 23 x 3.5 Inches
Year: 2017
Price: $600
Availability: Inquire
“SEEING RED”
Media: Mixed media inside of acrylic box
Size: 8 x 8 x 8 Inches
Edition: 1 of 4 – Red is sold, additional colors available
Year: 2017
Price: $1500 – Portion of proceeds got to Hurricane Harvey Relief
Availability: Inquire
“I REMEMBER MY FIRST LICENSE”
Media: Mixed media inside of acrylic box
Size: 10 x 4 x 4 – Hangs on wall or sits of a shelf
Edition: 1 of 4
Year: 2017
Price: $1500
Availability: Inquire
IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO TELL WHAT’S REAL AND WHAT’S FABRICATED
Media: Plastic, metal, mixed media and automotive paint
Size: 5 x 5 Inches
Year: 2015
Price: $1200
Availability: Inquire
IT’S KNOT A BIKE
Media: Plastic, metal, mixed media and automotive paint
Size: 3.5 x 3 Inches
Year: 2015
Price: $1200
Availability: Inquire
AT ALL COSTS
Media: Metal, clay, automotive paint, pencil sharpener and book prop
Size: 8.5 x 5.5 x 9 Inches
Year: 2015
Price: $1250
Availability: SOLD
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
Media: Plastic and automotive paint
Size: 5 x 5.5 x 3 Inches
Year: 2015
Price: $1000
Availability: SOLD