La Luz de Jesus Gallery presents
Glenn Barr's
"Faces"
Exhibition and Book Release
June 3 - 26, 2011 4
- 27
Opening Reception: Friday,
June 3,
Book Signing: 7 pm,
Exhibition: 8-11 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
II
Lyle Motley's "Sending The Sighlings" in Gallery
I
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com
info@laluzdejesus.com
Glenn Barr "Faces"
An image
of a face can tell quite a story, especially when painted on a found
object. Together they create a unique portrayal because the scarred wood
has a personality all its own and the subtleties of the human expressions
are endless. In "Faces", Detroit artist Glen Barr focuses on the
face, the striking face, the iconic and the ideal face as his
narrative.
"I feel the paintings for
this show need something other than canvas to rest on, so I've used found
lumber, scavenged from the Detroit landscape, much as I used to do when I
started out in the art world. I've always liked painting on found objects
that have history and personality, like tired, sun-bleached panels from
some collapsed building, or discarded cabinet doors lying alongside the
road. By discovering them and painting on them, I'm infusing these wood
remnants with new life, which gives my work a natural aesthetic of
familiarity and creates a permanent visual of the iconic ideal. There is
some new ground I am going to cover too which I rarely do. I will have a
few "likenesses" in the exhibition and I had a great time painting
them" states Barr
At the
beginning of his career and throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Barr
contributed to graphic novels, animated cartoons, rock poster art and a
variety of other ephemera. Recognition for his paintings came with solo
exhibitions in the late 1990s Since then, he has exhibited internationally
and published compilations of his work in "Lowlife Paradise" (2003),
"Haunted Paradise" (2006) and his new volume, "Faces."
About the book:
Detroit-based artist Glenn Barr presents a 96-page compilation
featuring details from 80 paintings and drawings he created over the past
five years. Inspired by the complex expressions and raw emotions revealed
by faces, Barr invokes the human condition, creating a multitude of
personalities ranging from extraordinarily common to extreme and fantastic.
Barr uses pencil and brush to render elegant and elongated necklines,
exaggerated eyes, and the gentle or jagged slopes shaping the noses or
foreheads of the men, women, and monsters he creates, whether they are
beautiful, ordinary, or even grotesque. Expressed in the intricate details
of each image, Barr presents a delicate mix of texture, color and line
typical of the his loose but carefully executed style. Turn the page to
reveal subtle or manic emotions of the wise, the wicked and the wistful.
"Faces" brings each reader one step closer to
experiencing first hand the compelling mind and interesting characters
found in the world of Glenn Barr.
"Distortion and contortion of the FACE gives me the freedom
to tell a better story and to create a better composition. Elongating the
neck and exaggerating the eyes, the forehead either grossly enlarged or
minutely petite, the odd slope of the nose, even the oversized and perhaps
misplaced mouth, can reveal the subtlest emotions. Even the hair framing
the FACE can stream decorously, capable of communicating a life all its
own, one grounded perhaps in vague tragedy or masked rapture. I also love
the play of light and shadow, assisting and enhancing the narrative,
creating mood and energy within the frame, expressing the emotion. In
essence, it's all about dynamics."
Release date for the book is September 1 - La Luz de
Jesus will be receiving a special advance shipment for the
event.
Hardcover: 96 pages, published by Last Gasp, Release date:
September 1, 2011, English, ISBN-13: 978-0867197679, 6 x 6 x 0.5 inches, 8
ounces
Contact Lee Joseph Publicity for more info and images:
leejemail@gmail.com -
www.leejosephpublicity.com
La Luz de Jesus is located at the
Soap Plant/Wacko building, in Los Feliz at 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los
Angeles, CA 90027. Gallery hours are Monday - Wednesday: 11am - 7pm,
Thursday - Saturday: 11am - 9pm and Sunday 12-6pm.
