Subtext presented the opening of Under the Cover of Darkness this past Friday evening featuring the work of Kelly Vivanco and Jason Limón.   While we couldn’t make the show, our friend and art blogger extraordinaire Amanda Erlanson did and snapped the pics you see here.  For this show, both artists continue to build impressive bodies of work – Vivanco’s pieces illuminate the journey of two girls exploring a nocturnal world while Limón’s new work gives cathartic form to the unmasking of his own personal darkness.   For more on the show and both artists’ inspirations for their work, check out her great joint interview over at Erratic Phenomenon. Under the Cover of Darkness continues through August 28th.  To check on piece availability, consult the official preview.

Subtext
2479 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101

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Opening at the end of the month at Subtext in San Diego is Under the Cover of Darkness, a show featuring Kelly Vivanco and Jason Limon . “The mystery of nightfall creeps into the work of both artists presenting us with the elusive nocturnal creatures that often flutter by unnoticed. Believe us, this time you’ll notice.”  Subtext is treating our ears as well as our eyes and will have a performance by Pretty Too Bad in the courtyard to accompany the show.

Kelly Vivanco & Jason Limon
July 31st – August 28th, 2009
Opening Reception:
Friday, July 31st, 6-10pm

Subtext Gallery

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R to L: Amy Sol, Kelly Vivanco, Stella Im Hultberg

Presented by LATDA, Kokeshi from Folk Art to Art Toy opening on July 11th, 2009 @ the Japanese American National Museum, offers a broad survey of a multitude of  Kokeshi – Japanese wood dolls that were traditionally  collected as souvenirs by hot springs visitors.  The large show will feature three sections – the first features over 300 examples of traditional kokeshi from the collection of Itske and Anthony Stern, the second features contemporary original takes on the koekshi from eleven artists working in diverse media, and  the third section entitled Custom Kokeshi 2009 curated by Christina Conway features over 100 international artists interpretations of an identical blank kokeshi  wood form.

Dailydujour had the pleasure of visiting the museum a few weeks ago to get an early look at the varied pieces in the show with the assistance of Maria Kwong (LATDA) and Christina Conway.  Though we were primarily focused on the work done for Custom Kokeshi 2009, the follow-up to Christina’s successful 07 Kokeshi show, what we saw of the other show sections was quite impressive.

Conway selected a varied and talented group of artists (full list on the flier after the jump) based on their ability to bring an interesting interpretation of the blank kokeshi form.  While it goes without saying that Conway invited some of the best and brightest artists in the low-brow and pop surrealist genres, she also invited perhaps lesser-know artists who she had become familiar with over the years.  The result is a very strong collection of work which in our opinion surpasses that of the first show – by no means a trivial task.

Enjoy this preview which features pieces from Amy Sol, Caia Koopman, Kelly Vivanco, Meredith Dittmar,  Mike Rivamonte, N.C. Winters,  Stella Im Hultberg, and Tara McPherson.  Look for more shortly. Finally, be sure to mark July 11th on your carder to catch the opening of this excellent show.

Japanese American National Museum
369 East First Street
Los Angeles California 90012
213.625.0414

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Think Space

It was Ladies night at Think Space gallery Friday, who held the opening reception for new works by Sarah Joncas and Kelly Vivanco. The gallery also featured works by Tran Nguyen. I was in attendance for the opening and had the pleasure of speaking with the artists (thanks Amanda! ).

Sarah’s work features a bevy of beautiful femme fatals, whom have been a consistent theme since her early musings as an artist. These wonderfully rendered pieces play on central female figures who’s presence is somehow subtly subverted by the environments they belong to. I noted a bit of art deco flavor to her work, which I think adds a great film noir -esqe vibe.

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Sarah Joncas

Dailydujour recently had the chance to visit Thinkspace to get an early look at Sarah Joncas’s Beneath the Seams and Kelly Vivanco’s ‘The Conservatory’, both of which open this Friday, June 12th (7-11 PM) @ the gallery.   During our visit, Sarah put the  finishing touches on her front room installation featuring  a large-scale wall mural of her sea-life motif which is featured in several of her paintings.  Since her last showing with the gallery, her work has evolved considerably with refined and subtly complex environments that serve as  natural and inseparable elements in  the paintings.

Kelly Vivanco’s lovingly rendered portrayals of girls caught at seemingly emotional and critical times in their  fictitious yet compelling existence draw in viewers with their at once approachable and yet enigmatic appearance.  Among numerous strong pieces, our favorite piece from her new body of work is the elaborate 2.5D  dollhouse/dreamhouse, complete with working ‘doors’. For more info on Kelly and her work, be sure to check out her interview on Hi-Fructose done by Amanda Erlanson.

Both artist’s shows open this this Friday June12th @ Thinkspace along with Tran Ngyuen’s Portraits of the Unknown.

Thinkspace Art Gallery
4210 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.913.3375

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