Mark Bradford & Kara Walker Exhibition
Sikkema, Jenkins & Co
This event has ended.
Sikkema Jenkins & Co. presents a two-person exhibition of new work by Mark Bradford and Kara Walker on view from September 10th through October 17th, 2009.
While working in the differing areas of abstraction (Bradford) and representation (Walker), both artists share a number of over-lapping practices. Employing paper, both Bradford and Walker use collage and assemblage to produce much of their art. Bradford takes found paper from billboards, posters, and magazines that he finds on the streets around his Los Angeles studio, which he then layers and manipulates to create painterly compositions. Walker, who at times also utilizes found materials, uses the traditional practice of cutting paper silhouettes to create sculptures, videos, works on paper, and wall installations that depict scenes of misogyny, racism, and violence.
The artists also share an interest in exploring societal and cultural issues through their work. Bradford mines the physical materials of contemporary culture from his urban Los Angeles neighborhood in order to make his work, while Walker’s imagery references the history of slavery and race in America.
The exhibition will highlight both artists’ use of text: Bradford’s appropriation of low economy advertising in his merchant posters and Walker’s own writing reflecting on same themes she explores throughout her work.
The exhibition will feature a large sculpture of collaged soccer balls, a large work on canvas, as well as small paintings and works on paper by Mark Bradford. Kara Walker will present two new videos featuring silhouette puppets as well as paper sculptures and other works on paper and panel.
[Image: Mark Bradford, "Red Painting," (2009) Mixed media collage on canvas, 101.75 x 143.5 inches, 258.4 x 364.5 cm]
Media
Schedule
from September 10, 2009 to October 17, 2009
Opening Reception on 2009-09-10 from 18:00 to 20:00
Artist(s)
Reviews
I was excited to see Kara Walker's work but the of the paintings, the video, and the small constructions, the only objects that stayed with me were the small constructions. They were fun to walk around and try to figure out. The paintings were too on the nose for me. Bradford's work seemed to have the same puzzling and intriguing affect as Walker's constructions-- they became richer and more intriguing the more I looked at them. His sculpture piece I like to call volleyballs of trash trapped in volleyball net though was unnecessary.