Rock, and Other Hard Places: Art Walk Reception

REN Gallery presents:

"Rock, and Other Hard Places "

VIP Opening Reception June 8th - 5pm-9pm

"Rock, and Other Hard Places " welcomes artist Kerry Smith and artist Antonio Mendoza to REN Gallery. In Smiths series of gouache paintings of iconic record label and album art, a ten-foot wide installation of record paintings have been installed, featuring artists from the 70s-90s rock scene in LA.  This collection of work combines his love for album art, graphic design and fine art.

Mendoza has captured the feel of streets with his paradoxical collage works. Mendoza's works are put together from street posters scraped from the walls around LA. It’s a form of reverse-graffiti; and while made mostly from found items and scraps, he interprets his work as paintings. He does use some paint—but he purposely tries not to use any painterly techniques.  "There’s nothing nice about what I do when I paint. I use chisels, power tools, and a machete instead of brushes and palette knives. I rip, scratch, hack, slice, tear, sand, glue, drill, drip, carve, drag, and cut to the work and then piece it back together."- Antonio Mendoza.

Beside Kerry's work belies other truths found in music; a powerful Freddie Mercury holding his fist in the air is featured by artist Jared Schwalb.  Musician and artist Rob Grad has developed a world of self portraits that crosses genders, emotions, inner thoughts and suppositions.  Grad invites a contrast to Kerry's works – his mixed media works are innovative and sleek in their layered plexiglass compositions.

In addition to this special exhibition, REN Gallery resident artists Emmeric Konrad, Louis XXX, David Buckingham, Nicholas Tredway and Victor Wilde will have works on display with an emphasis on the newest works by Louis XXX.