"Alben: New Paintings and Sculptures" Exhibition
gallery nine 5
This event has ended.
Alben’s work identifies strongly with graffiti and street art. The artist’s bold canvases are saturated with Pop iconography from the 1950s to the present day. Hollywood icons, monarchs, kitsch items, canonical artworks, vintage cars, superheroes, and images from the artist’s childhood all combine to create artwork rich in enigmatic symbolism.
Self-taught, the artist works primarily in spray paint and individually crafted stencils—each one made by hand. In a manner intentionally referential to French modernist artist Arman, Alben builds up a dizzying accumulation of images in his works. However, Alben’s use of diverse words, figures and references function to create multiple layers of hidden symbols and meanings. The juxtapositions of such recognizable imagery in his colorful, energetic pieces create a subtle humor, establishing an intimate and witty relationship with his audience.
The October 2010 exhibition will also feature a number of Alben’s new sculptural pieces. The artist fills various molds with a variety of commonplace objects (from candy to vintage children’s toys) suspended in resin creating colorful and one-of-a-kind pieces. The use of disparate found objects, often relating to childhood, works to further explore the underlying nostalgia central to Alben’s artistic practice.
The artist has exhibited widely throughout Europe, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to having created a number of site-specific installations throughout France.
[Image: Alben "Amtrak (diptych)"spray paint on two plastic canvases 59 x 55.75 x 2 in.]
Media
Schedule
from October 15, 2010 to November 05, 2010
Opening Reception on 2010-10-14 from 19:00 to 21:00
RSVP to press@gallerynine5.com