Hanuka, Shimizu, and Weber @ Society of Illustrators in NYC (9.01)

The Society of Illustrators in New York City is pleased to present a group exhibition called “Blow Up” featuring Tomer Hanuka, Shimizu, and Sam Weber. These three illustrators from vastly different backgrounds converge from Canada, Japan and Israel; and meet at the crossroads of a distinct American aesthetic to examine their new found artistic voices through personal mythologies, broken narratives and remixed identities. “Blow Up” will be an open window into the visual melting pot of contemporary image making.

Weber’s monumental and moody figures draw on the western idea of the portrait, re-imagined for the modern age, where anxiety and wonder mix into a seamless dramatic whole imbued with a sense of unsolved mystery.

Shimizu’s playful imagery ties the surface of Japanese wood cut prints with contemporary issues, creating sophisticated and symbolic psychological scenes of internal worlds, broken by geometric contraption that seem to pull away and reconnect the disparate elements.

Hanuka’s visuals were developed as research for an upcoming graphic novel titled The Divine to be published by First Second (written by Boaz Lavie and pencilled by Asaf Hanuka). the images explore ideas of eternal childhood, drawing from sources like 8bit video games, Rambo and hard news.

“Blow Up” @ Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street, New York City
Showing: September 1-October 16, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday, September 10, 2010; 6:30pm
Please RSVP for reception by September 3rd at kb@societyillustrators.org
Suggested donation for reception $10