Tag Archives: Mixed Media

Arts and Culture

Pink Thing Of The Day: Pink Icon By Nicolette Benard

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icon by nicolette benard photo by gail worley
“Hi, There!” (Photo By Gail)

This very fun mixed media sculpture– which re-imagines Barbie‘s head and torso engulfed in a pink, donut-like soft puff, while she sports hot pink swim fins on her feet — is part of the Icons series by artist Nicolette Benard. Nicolette is a Netherlands-based visual artist and jewelry designer represented by Chiefs and Spirits Gallery — in whose booth at the Spring Affordable Art Fair we spotted this excellent work ($1250 each). Wouldn’t it be cool if Mattel decided to make a series of Art Barbies and hired Nicolette to design them based on her Icons series? I think so! See more Icons on her website, at This Link!

Arts and Culture

Kris Kuksi’s Revival at Joshua Liner Gallery

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Kris Kuksi Sculpture
All Photos By Gail

Joshua Liner Gallery is currently hosting the must-see exhibit, Revival, featuring mixed-media assemblage sculptures by Kansas-based artist Kris Kuksi. This is Kuksi’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery with works ranging medium-in-size to some over five feet-tall and five feet-wide. The works were definitely on a much smaller scale than those included in a previous exhibit of his work, Triumph, which we saw in March of 2012. Continuing in Kuksi’s highly recognizable assemblage style, each sculpture contains worlds within worlds within worlds, every inch of the piece telling layered stories rich with occult meaning.

Kuksi Detail
Detail from the Sculpture, Above

Film Director Guillermo del Toro has referred to Kuksi as “a postindustrial Rococo master,” a fitting compliment to the artist’s Shrine-like tableaus.

Kuksi Feathered Sculpture

Kuksi Feathered Sculpture Detail
Detail from the Sculpture, Above

I can’t even imagine how labor intensive these pieces are, considering the placement of each tiny piece seems entirely intentional. There must be several thousand components in each of Kuksi’s sculptures. You could probably look at one for a year and never see everything.

Kris Kuksi Chrich Tank

Revival also includes a small scale version of The Churchtank — a steepled church structure fused to the base of a tank — a much larger edition of which was given the run of Liner’s rear gallery space during the Triumph exhibit. Church Tank!

Kris Kuksi
Kris Kuksi Photographed by Gail at Joshua Liner Gallery

Kris was present at the opening reception last Thursday and he was super nice to all his fans. I asked him if he’d every considered putting lots of tiny objects in his beard, and while he claimed to have considered the idea, he’d declined to execute it.

Kris Kuksi Sculpture

I like this guy. He looks like a Renaissance badass.

Kris Kuksi Sculpture

Kris Kuksi Sculpture Detail
Detail from the Sculpture, Above

Kris Kuksi is massively talented and truly a one-of-a-kind artist. Don’t miss your chance to see his work up close. Fortunately, you have a little extra time to make it the Liner Gallery for this one.

Kris Kuksi’s Revival will be on Exhibit Through January 18, 2014 at Joshua Liner Gallery, Located at 540 West 28th Street, New York, in the Chelsea Gallery District. Gallery Hours are Tuesday — Saturday from 11:00 AM — 6:00 PM.

Arts and Culture

Wonder Lee’ s Mixed Messages Now Up at Phantom Audio

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All Photos Courtesy of Frankie Velez

Bronx-based artist and poet Wonder Lee celebrated with friends and fans at the opening reception for her solo show, Mixed Messages, on Friday, September 9th at Phantom Audio. An up and comer on the New York City scene, Lee is perhaps best known for her poetry, including her upbeat and inspirational Haiku of the Day, which is available on her Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/#!/wonderlee123. As a Green artist, Mixed Messages collects 18 of Lee’s mixed-media artworks that incorporate found objects and recycled/re-purposed items (music media seems to be a favorite) with spray paint and printed word, in a collage or assemblage technique.

The messages of these works include thoughts on personal freedoms, communication and social consciousness, among other ideals dear to Lee’s personal philosophy. Not only are Lee’s sculptures and paintings vibrant and visually captivating, but they evoke a great deal of humor and thought while also being beautiful to look at. Her work is also quite affordable, being priced as reasonably as $60 up to a still affordable $800, and a Wonder Lee original would certainly set off the décor in any modern apartment, being a mix of urban meets pop art. We recommend you make the trip to see this show before it closes early next month.

Mixed Messages is on exhibit now through October 8, 2011 at Phantom Audio, Located at 48 West 25th Street (East of 6th Ave), 10th Floor in NYC. Viewings are by appointment only, so please call (212)727-0452 if you plan to stop by.