NATURAL STATE: A GROUP SHOW February 27, 2005

Sputnik Gallery Space Presents:

NATURAL STATE: A GROUP SHOW
OPENING RECEPTION
7-9 PM
SUNDAY, FEBUARY 27, 2005
Free!
Nude Works by Brooklyn Based Artists
Eric Diehl, Ronald Dzerigian, Jeff Faerber, Meghan Keane, and Raphael Sassi
at Brooklyn?s Best Kept Secret, Sputnik, in Clinton Hill

Performances by Beats + Pieces: An Enrique Haneine Quintet,
And 2005 Grammy award winners Miri Ben Ari and Rhymefest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Andy Heidel/718-789-1391
andy.heidel@verizon.net

Clinton Hill, Brooklyn-
Sputnik continues its monthly Brooklyn-based artist series with the gallery opening of Natural State at 7pm on February 27, 2005. Natural State features the works of Eric Diehl, Ronald Dzerigian, Jeff Faerber, Meghan Keane, and Raphael Sassi. Complementing the night will be live performances by Beats + Pieces: An Enrique Haneine Quintet featuring Avant-garde free jazz, and the Grammy award-winning hip-hop violinist Miri Ben Ari with Rhymefest, who just won a Grammy award for "Best Rap Song of the Year" for his writing work for Kanye West on ?Jesus Walks.?
Euripides Pelekanos, co-owner of Sputnik and curator of Natural State says ?the show is a Celebration of love, erotica and nude. This exhibition explores the human form in all its unique beauty as viewed by five different artists.? When asked why he?s opening on Oscar night, he replied, ?sure you can stay home and watch the Oscars, but what?s the point? This is about supporting struggling artists in your back yard, not millionaires on the other side of the continent. I?m proud to give these five dynamic artists a place to show their work.?
Ronald Dzerigian?s Dada/Neo-Expressionist stew serves up two untitled oil on canvas portraits of his fiancé; the beginning of a series documenting the exquisite beauty of the love of his life. ?I steal images and/or phrases and then include them in the painting whether as a visual element or sometimes just in the title,? says Ronald. ?Big is a good way to describe my work, I like people to feel like they can walk around inside of it.?
Jeff Faerber graduated from San Jose State University and currently works as an illustrator. His twenty mixed media works are expressive, often with implied narratives and composed of mostly acrylic paintings, pen, and pencil drawings. ?They?re reasonably priced,? says Faber, ?and will go great with your couch.?
Meghan Keane synthesizes elements of modern Impressionist style with Expressionist color in her body of work consisting of four, oil on canvas paintings and includes her most scale-ambitious project yet. Consistent with the rest of Keane?s art, each work imparts a strong message to the viewer. Clearly, for Keane, sensuous beauty lies not only in the flesh, but also in the art of painting itself. Although a Parsons-trained artist, Keane has studied both locally and internationally, and currently finishes her B.F.A. at Brooklyn College.
Raphael Sassi is a recent graduate of the New York Academy of Art where he is currently serving out a Fellowship Residency. Sassi?s work in the show is largely without a conceptual program beyond its dealing with the figure. ?It is a responsive contemplative examination of the human form experienced through the passage of time,? says Sassi. ?This more academic style of representation exposes me to your scrutiny, and engenders empathy for having a body yourself.?
Eric Diehl, a current student at Pratt Institute, is famously responsible for many of the murals on the walls at sputnik. Diehl?s mural of Stalin adorns the entrance to the Sputnik Gallery, a rarity in NYC where square footage is at a premium. ?Co-owner John Simeonidis and I have been to many bars where the artwork is hung in the bar space without adequate lighting,? explains Euripides. ?When we opened up Sputnik, we knew we wanted a separate room to use as a gallery and give art it?s own space and due respect. The art is already here in Brooklyn, we just want provide a space in which to view it.?
Natural State runs throughout March.
Sputnik Gallery Space Hours
Monday to Thursday 4pm to 2am
Friday 2pm to 4am
Saturday 11am to 4am
Sunday 11am to 2am
or by appointment

Sputnik Drink Specials
Happy hour form 5pm to 10pm, $1 Rheingolds, $2 Yuenglings, buy one get one house drink free.

About Sputnik
Sputnik is the Clinton Hill-Fort Greene venue that brings art, music, culture and politics all to one place. Architecturally influenced by the 60?s and 70?s post-modern space age movement, the 5000 square foot bi-level bar/club space features an art gallery, library, stage, film projector with ten foot screen, and 2 DJ booths. The main floor kitchen offers up a wide selection of fresh teas, coffees, smoothies and cheap eats. New York City nightlife has always been the breeding ground for cultural movements. Sputnik hopes to re-launch that movement by showcasing local musicians, actors, writers, political activists, thinkers, film makers and artists in an unpretentious and laid back environment.

Sputnik
262 Taaffe Place, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY 11205
718-398-6666, info@barsputnik.com
http://www.Barsputnik.com

Directions
By Subway: G train to Classon Ave
By Bus: 38 or 48 busses to De Kalb Ave. and Classon Ave

For more information about the artists and press photos contact Andy Heidel at andy.heidel@verizon.net or visit:
http://meghankeanestudio.com
http://www.jefffaerber.com
http://www.ronalddzerigian.com
http://www.miriben-ari.com
http://www.rhymefest.com