$coundrels Opening Reception FREE May 19, 2007

Free



‘$coundrels’ Bully Big Business at The Venice Contemporary

-- Emerging LA Fine Artists Interpret Abuses Against the American Worker --

VENICE, Calif., April 25, 2007 – The Venice Contemporary today announced that it will showcase the work of several prominent Los Angeles pop surrealists in “$coundrels,” an interpretation of 21st century big business abuses.
The exhibition includes work from fine artists Lola, whose meticulously painted characters blend the eerie yet familiar, and Bob Dob, whose paintings and illustrations meld a soulful style with a sardonic aura of humor and pain.

“$coundrels” was conceived by Dane Jensen, a Los Angeles-based curator and gallery director, who posed the following challenge to sixteen fine artists from LA’s pop surrealism (or lowbrow) movement: create original drawings based on 19th and early 20th Century political cartoons by Thomas Nast and JN Darling, among others, depicting the big business abuses waged against the American worker. In addition to highly metaphorical interpretations, many of the artists directly incorporated figures and events surrounding the recent business scandals of the 21st Century.

“Some of the most significant crimes against the American worker surfaced in the last decade, and ‘$coundrels’ sets the tone by a drawing a parallel to Nast’s and Darling’s cartoons satirizing corruption of their time,” said Jensen, 31, who is currently director of the Earl McGrath Gallery, a space in West Hollywood that played a seminal role in spearheading pop surrealism.

Artists exhibiting in “$coundrels” were selected for their backgrounds in modern illustration and use of a heavy stylistic influence in contemporary illustration and/or cartoons.

Jensen added, “This stylistic amalgam combined with the artists’ own artistic license creates a dynamic showcase of emerging talent in Los Angeles, and spotlights contemporary issues that will affect our collective future.”

“ $coundrels” opens at The Venice Contemporary, located at 12222 Venice Blvd., on Saturday, May 19 and runs through June 10, 2007. Other exhibiting artists include Andrew Foster, Eric White, Alli Good, Kris Lewis, Joel Dugan, Graham Roumieu, Peter Mitchell, Francesco Locastro, Jesse Peper, Chandler Wood, Ken Garduno, Jason D'Aquino, and Nathan Spoor. A full color signed and numbered catalog with writing by Dane Jensen and design by artist Nathan Spoor will be available as well. A book signing with artists in attendance is scheduled for June 10, 2007 at The Venice Contemporary from 2:30 to 5:30pm.

For more information on “$coundrels” or The Venice Contemporary, please contact Bill Lucas at bill_lucas@thevenicecontemporary.com or call 310.621.7152.

ALSO,
We'll have the genius of Mr.NumberOnederful on the turntables, as well as a very special guest dj set by Bitter:Sweet
Live painting on the TVC stage by Josh Talbott
A special musical performance by Tommy Wallach
Venice Grind has a solo show by Brendan Tierney as well as Top2Bottom doing live Graffiti in the Graff Yard
And the Cannibal Flower crew rounds out the evening by rocking an entirely new show in the west gallery room.

Steven Allen & The Heroes will be at the bar with Complementary Beverages.

Official Website: http://www.thevenicecontemporary.com/upcoming.html