Mark Whalen

Mark Whalen’s work is an interpretation of the modern era. Whalen explores all aspects of human activity and behavior through his intricate, geometric planes. His paintings encompass ideas of invention, science, sexual desire, or oppression. They all take place simultaneously to create sly oppositions reflective of life’s puzzling duality.

The new body of work incorporates satirical and social narratives, a major theme of my practice. Lately, the works focus heavily around the idea of mathematics and problem solving. Conceptually, most of the pieces are thought out in a way that is mathematical and calculated. Through this analytical process, the chaotic compositions seem to careen out of control, but in an extremely disciplined manner.

 

Laith McGregor

With this new body of work and cast of other worldly characters Laith McGregor creates his own mythology to explore the nature of humanity. McGregor says: “The recent body of work is an outcome of my ongoing research into cultures to understand the complexity of the human experience and my place within it, in particular investigating the relationship of various interpretations of portraiture as a common vernacular, through the use of masks, deities and notion of the self.” 

 

Ben Venom

Ben Venom juxtaposes traditional handmade crafts with extreme elements found on the fringes of society. His handcrafted quilts stitch together imagery found in vintage tattoos, the occult, and heavy metal through techniques usually relegated to your Grandmothers sewing circle. His interest in bringing together traditional handmade craft and the extremes of Heavy Metal culture is not an attempt to organize chaos into conservatism, but a reinterpretation of Hardcore culture imprinted on something soft, comfortable and familiar.

 

Marco Zamora

Marco Zamora incor­porates painting and sculptural elements in his latest work to question and to explore an abstrac­ted view of everyday people and urban environments. Zamora states, “When I paint someone (for the most part) they are in a semi natural state of doing what they are doing. I don’t know the people or want them to know I am photographing. I only know the situation and what I felt when I decided to take the photo.” Working from these photographs, Zamora is very interested in using and reusing what is found to make each piece of work. The covering of objects, people, then using paint and sculpture to play into it; is creating different layers to this process.

 

Zamora searches for relationships and artifacts in the public space then reac­ts to it. He is interested in the repetitive actions that we fall into. “I can’t fully say what I am trying to convey, as I am sharing my thoughts and ideas through painting. I would like the work to speak to each person in its own way.”