Mon 9 Nov 2009
Brian Despain and John Brophy opening at Roq La Rue Gallery
Posted by jodavid under Art , Art Galleries , EventsNo Comments
Brian Despain • “Requiarium” • new paintings
and
John Brophy • “Saints and Angels” • new paintings
Opens Friday November 13th 6-9pm at Roq La Rue Gallery, 2312 2nd Ave
Roq La Rue is very pleased to present two solo exhibitions by two Northwest painters, Brian Despain and John Brophy.
Brian Despain works with imaginary yet recognizable modern landscapes, but populates his world with seemingly self aware and melancholy robots in a seemingly endless quest for the numinous. His work blends the natural world with technology and usually has a slightly morbid slant. Archetype-loaded imagery such as skulls, gears, fish, and birds provide the forefront for a seemingly arcane number system the artist employs in all his work. His rich and somber color palettes of post apocalyptic ochres, deep blues, and steel greys belie and hidden warmth and dark humor within his work. This show will feature 8 new paintings.
John Brophy creates paintings that blend artifacts from global cultures and belief systems and juxtaposes them with the overarching affects of western consumer culture. Taking cues from the religious imagery of 15th century Flemish Primitive art, he takes their use of intimate compositions and understated gestures and reworks them using contemporary imagery to create surreal yet immediate new icons for the modern age.
