Medium: Black
April 14th – May 20th 2016
Rush Arts Gallery

Artists: Charlotte Becket, Dominique Duroseau, Parris Jaru, Spencer Merolla, Gabriel J. Shuldiner, Stan Squirewell, Victoria-Idongesit Udondian, LeRone Wilson,
Curator: Charlotte Mouquin, Director, Rush Arts Galleries.

Black has long been associated with Artists and New York. Medium: Black pulls together a diverse group of artists who have all come to use the color black almost solely in a body of artworks to create dramatic works with profound statements. Ranging from mourning traditions, traditional hairstyles, human depth, and spiritual meditations on contemporary and ancient traditions.

In the first gallery a large-scale installation by Victoria-Idongesit Udandion, inspired by the Onile-Gogoro hairstyles photographed by Okhai Ojeikere has reflecting traditional Nigerian hairstyles. Near the installation are the slick painterly sculpted wall-mount forms of Gabriel J.Shuldiner; who manipulates the versatility of black substances including inorganic synthetic carbon and acrylic based hybrid paint. Complimenting Shuldiner’s slick forms are the meditative sculptural paintings of LeRone Wilson. He uses the ancient traditions of encaustic building delicate forms, which in this case are also self-reflecting on the power of blackness. Entering the space are the works of Spencer Merolla, who has been exploring the color black, particularly as it pertains to Victorian mourning traditions, by creating large geometric patterns created from funeral clothes.

The second gallery reflects on the mysteries of human depth. Three “Etchings on Canvas” by Parris Jaru, who works solely with natural pigments, focus on numerical and astrological symbols combined with artist poetry and musings of human nature etched into the canvas. The morphing black sculptures of Charlotte Becket, are hypnotic as they celebrate and question the status quo, using automation, information, consumerism, progress, pathos, humor and aesthetic seduction. Complimenting the naturalist forms of Beckett hangs a large black square by Stan Squirewell, Rush AIR 2015, uses found objects and alternative materials to reflecting on both natural and handmade universal shapes found in contemporary society. Selections from the “Jane Doe/John Doe” series by Dominique Duroseau which re-humanizes characters that have been abstracted, broken, and hollowed finish the black reflections on what is means to be human.

The Opening Reception will be Thursday April 14th 6-8pm. This exhibition will include an artist discussion of black in contemporary art Saturday April 30th at 4pm. There will also be a discussion of ancient art techniques and pigments with Parris Jaru and LeRone Wilson and a film screening of “A Trail of Pigments” a documentary film by Kiritin Beyer on a search for natural pigments in India, on Saturday May 7th at 2pm.

Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation was founded in 1995 in New York City by media mogul Russell Simmons and his brothers, artist and activist Danny Simmons and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons, and committed to bettering the lives of underserved inner-city youth through meaningful exposure to the arts and hands-on art education programs, and to as providing professional support to artists at the beginning of their careers, mostly artists of color. The Rush Gallery Program provides open calls, residencies, professional support and exhibition opportunities to artists and curators focusing on those that are emerging and frequently marginalized by the commercial art field. Rush’s rich 20 year exhibition history has exhibited nearly 2,000 artists and aided in supporting the careers of artists.
www.rushphilanthropic.org

All Gallery Events are Free and Open to the Public.

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday
12-6pm