artwork by Aakash Nihalani

In January 2010, Carmichael Gallery (1257 N La Brea Ave in West Hollywood, CA) presents On & Off (Often On), the first West Coast solo exhibition of Aakash Nihalani. In addition to a characteristically arresting site-specific installation comprised of  brightly colored tape, Nihalani introduces a new artistic direction by using metal and plastic to create sculptural objects.

There will be an opening reception for On & Off (Often On) Thursday, January 21 with Nihalani in attendance.

“Spokes” by Mark Jenkins

In January 2010, Carmichael Gallery also presents Meaning Is Overrated, a solo exhibition of new hyper realistic conceptual works and site-specific installation pieces by Mark Jenkins that reconsider the aesthetic and practical qualities of the human body. Works range from those in which the human is recast as a specialized object, such as “Spokes” which features a tape cast sculpture of a girl fashioned to function as a bicylce, to those in which human posture is contorted to resemble that of another animal. Each piece is “an exploration of evolution within the realm of the absurd,” says Jenkins.

The opening reception for Meaning Is Overrated is also Thursday, January 21 with Jenkins in attendance. Both exhibitions are on display through February 18, 2010.

See more work by Nihalani here
See more work by Jenkins here

posted by: Brent Carter

Artist Statement:
“I think that our distance from nature is already a cliché. City dwellers often have no relationship with animals or greenery. As a public artist I feel a sense of duty to draw attention to deficiencies in our everyday life. As a cultivator of eco-urban sensitivity, I usually go back to the sites to visit my “plants” or “moss”, sometimes to repair them a bit, but nothing more generally as they tend to get enough water from the air, condensation, and rain – especially in certain seasons. I also like to let them live by themselves. From the moment I put them on the street they start to have their own life. For me, the reaction of life on the street is also very important. I am curious about how people receive them, if they just leave them alone, or if they want to, take care of them or dismantle them. This is what makes my work similar to graffiti, although I am searching for a deeper social meaning and a dialogue with memories of the animals and gardens of my past in a small town in Central Europe. I believe that if everyone had a garden of their own to cultivate, we would have a much more balanced relation to our territories. Of course, a garden can be many things.”

Edina Tokodi studied graphic art and design at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts and also completed urban design course work in Milan, Italy. Todoki currently lives and works in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

See more of Todoki’s work here

Fabio Viale is a young Italian sculptor based in Turin, Italy. He does things with his sculpture so incredible you’ll catch yourself saying “No Sh*t!” once you realize it’s done with marble and not Styrofoam.

See more of Viale’s work here

posted by: Harold Johns III

“Space Garden,” the latest limited edition print by APAK is available through their Etsy store

Artist Bio:
“Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa Piland are the fantastical magical duo known as APAK. They are a childlike husband and wife collaborative art group who live among the fury conifer giants in a little cottage on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. They create artwork together as a way exploring the beauty, mystery, and magic of life as well as expressing their love for life and each other.

“They are known in particular for creating rich and colorful gouache/acrylic paintings on wood featuring the utopian lives and adventures of curious little beings living in lush fantastic environments surrounded by friendly little animals, the landscapes are familiar yet surreal, hinting at a fantastic narrative while suggesting truths about the real world at the same time” (APAK).

“Woodpushers” 2008

“Call of the Wild” 2008

“Fumio Trains” 2008

To us APAK is the perfect visual escape for troubled times, like an anti-anxiety pill minus all those terrible side effects. They also apply their ridiculously cute aesthetic to postcards, note cards (some are Christmas themed), and stationary which are for sale at a fair price on their Etsy page.

See more work by APAK on their Flickr
See Aaron Piland’s individual portfolio here
See Ayumi’s individual portfolio here

posted by: Brent Carter

Wonder Fair Art Gallery (803 Massachusetts in  Lawrence, KS) presents Collecting the Past and Projecting the Present: Constructed Works by Monica Gundelfinger & Casey Millstein. Opening reception is this Saturday, October 10th from 6-9pm and the show runs through November 8th.

Artist Statement: Monica Gundelfinger
“Each day, humans throw away vast amounts of excess material considered “junk.” These are the artifacts future archeologists will find left over from our civilization. Gundelfinger has always been seduced by discarded items which to her have unlimited potential as workable material. She strips the things of their original purpose revisiting them as raw elements. Utilizing her instincts as a gatherer, she collects countless multiples of a single specific item. She then combines various collected materials to arrive at an original piece that radiates with a fresh, renewed energy.

“In her current work, she uses discarded eyeglass lenses as the main component. She imagines the life that was watched through these lenses. Each finished piece acts as an accumulation of these moments seen through the looking glass.”

Artist Statement: Casey Millstein
“Drawing significant influence from the architecture of Dr. Suess, the balance and simplicity of David Smith, the soft, linear renderings of Frank Llyod Wright, and the symmetry of Mother Earth, Casey Millstein finds inspiration in the small details. As an artist, Millstein searches for connections between these things. Through her own interpretation and understanding, she projects these findings into her work.

“After working with wood for some time, Millstein found the forgiving nature of steel to be very gratifying — Allowing her to be instinctual, meditative and gestural simultaneously, within a short time frame. She likes to build the form and then deconstruct it, creating space that is strong and transparent. The energy and intensity of the welding process narrows Millstein’s focus allowing her to better communicate her design. — Finally arriving at completion only when what in front of her has captured a reflection of that very moment.”

Listen to a podcast about the show here

posted by: Brent Carter