STRANGE TIMES
January 11 – February 10, 2013
Opening Reception – Friday, January 11, 6PM
For immediate release
NOVELLA is pleased to present “STRANGE TIMES”, a group show that celebrates painting’s modus operandi, flexibility, and diversity of meaning.
You want criticality? Take a gander at Rachel Schmidhofer’s taco painting. You want sheer beauty and a physical experience? Stand in front of a painting by Halsey Hathaway. Or maybe you’re in the mood for hip hop? Kajahl Benes’ take on portraiture, though rooted in the past, seems to come to us from the future.
Georgia Elrod’s work challenges us to see beyond the recognizable, where context is everything, and meaning is in limbo. JJ Manford’s painting, similarly operating between the figurative and abstract, feels like the work of a shaman. Thomas Spoerndle’s work recalls Mondrian’s "Broadway Boogie Woogie" with the visual flair and pizzazz of the 21st century.
–Steve Rivera
JJ Manford. The Brink of Utterance, 2012, Acrylic, tempera, and spray paint on canvas, 72 x 62 inches
Halsey Hathaway. Untitled, Acrylic on dyed canvas (2 parts), 60 x 80 inches
Rachel Schmidhofer. Taco Supreme, 2012, Oil on panel, 10 x 15 inches
Kajahl Benes. Queen Calafia, 2012, Oil on canvas, 25 x 21 inches
Georgia Elrod. Landline, 2012, Oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches
Rachel Schmidhofer. Fridge, 2012, Oil on panel, 60 x 40 inches
Thomas Spoerndle. Pastoral, 2012, Acrylic on canvas, 28 x 28 inches