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Art News:
For
Immediate Release
September 15, 2010
Press
contact:
Florence Neal, director, 718-875-2098,
florence@kentlergallery.org
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KENTLER INTERNATIONAL
DRAWING
SPACE EXPLORES
THE MAKING OF A GRAPHIC NOVEL AND
THE HEROIC LIFE OF
A CUBAN-AMERICAN ARTIST
Artists'
Talk: Saturday, October 2, 4pm
Opening
Reception: Saturday, October 2, 5 - 7pm
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Brooklyn, NY-From
Saturday, October 2 to December 13, 2010, Kentler International Drawing Space in Red
Hook, Brooklyn will premier the
1960's
drawings made in Cuba by Inverna Lockpez and examine the artmaking process
and
history behind a much heralded graphic novel published today by DC Comics.
The
exhibition,
entitled Cuba, My Revolution: The
Making
of the Graphic Novel and Related Drawings, assembles original sketches
and revisions by
the
noted Brooklyn based artist Dean Haspiel, as well as correspondences, and
pages
from
CUBA: My Revolution. Six drawings by
Inverna Lockpez, whose life story inspired
the
new graphic novel are of both historic and artistic importance. These drawings
were
confiscated decades ago by Castro's government and only recovered via
a
circuitous and secret network of diplomatic and art world contacts.
Shown
for the first time at the Kentler, these drawings are
a
forceful reminder that Lockpez lost her freedom and very nearly lost her
life
in pursuit of her artistry. This exhibition is a testament to her ability
to
transcend violence through art.
Kentler
will present an Artists' Talk between Haspiel
and Lockpez, moderated by the
New
York-based critic Calvin Reid, on opening day, Saturday, October 2, at 4
pm,
followed by a reception from 5 to 7 pm.
An essay by Reid accompanies the exhibition.
"This
exhibition not only provides the viewer with a glimpse into the process
behind
the graphic novel, but also offers a chance to contemplate the comic page
as
an original artwork. While
the
pages of a comic book are not necessarily intended to be seen as stand-alone
gallery
works, the care, craft and formal invention of creating them bring to bear
all
the expertise associated with the gallery artist," says Reid.
"At
Kentler, we have always been most interested in the way in which artists
use
drawing to examine the cultural history of their communities," says Florence
Neal,
director and co-founder of the non-profit organization. "This exhibition
is a perfect
example
of the power of drawing to reach wide audiences," adds Neal.
Perhaps
best known for his critically acclaimed graphic biography of Harvey
Pekar,
Haspiel here tells the life story of a young woman who believed in
Castro's
revolution during its early years, but who was later falsely accused
of
collaborating with the enemy, imprisoned, and tortured. Haspiel captures
a
sense of the daily life in Cuba during the days when the horrors of the
Bastista
regime gave way to Castro's brutal repression. Haspiel's deft depictions
of this period were informed by
his
long friendship with Lockpez , and access to a trove of photographs and
other
source materials from the Cuba of the 1950s.
The
inclusion of Lockpez's drawings in the exhibition are a fascinating coda to
the
raw experience of the fictionalized memoir. "Lockpez's small,
intricate
drawings are emblematic of certain works by the great Russian
abstractionists
Kandinsky and Malevich-an ironic reflection, perhaps, of the overbearing
role
Russians would play in her life in Cuba. And, strangely enough, some
of
Lockpez's abstractions even suggest the panels of a comic book," says
Calvin
Reid in his essay.
Exhibition
curator, Mariella Bisson says "This exhibition is also a rare opportunity
to
see original drawings by Haspiel.
It is fascinating to see some ideas pursued, then dropped, or changed
in
inventive ways. In these
raw,
immediate sketches, the viewer can feel the artist exploring, and
making
decisions in order to communicate more clearly and concisely."
General Information
Kentler
International
Drawing Space was founded in 1990 by two artists in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Kentler
is a non-profit space dedicated to the promotion and presentation
of
experimental and innovative contemporary drawing and work on paper by
emerging
and under-recognized local, national and international artists.
Kentler
encourages dialogue and interaction between exhibiting artists and the
public
while providing artists with the opportunity to experiment, explore and
expand
the definition of art in society.
Kentler
International
Drawing Space is located at 353 Van Brunt Street in
Red
Hook, Brooklyn. The gallery is open to the public Thursday to
Sunday,
12- 5 PM, during the exhibition period. Admission is free. For more
information the public can call 718-875-2098
or
visit the website at www.kentlergallery.org.
Kentler's
Programs:
Exhibitions and events; The Kentler Flatfiles; K.I.D.S. Art Education.
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