Show & Tell Gallery
1161 Dundas St. West in Toronto, Canada
Opening reception on Friday July 10th between 7pm and 11pm.
"Get Over It" will be on display from July 10th - August 9th 2009.
Get Over It is a message for the skeptical. The aim of this exhibition is to continue to validate the importance of ”outsider” art in the gallery aesthetic. As in every genre of contemporary art, it is equally as important to understand the context of how each artist has matured, as it is the understanding of the actual artworks themselves. Steve Powers, Greg Gossel and Greg Lamarche each offer a unique variety of imagery exploring the concepts of typography and iconography. While the work is indicative of its roots in graffiti and graphic design, these artists continue to break the mold. As always, the goal is to intrigue and hopefully make new fans of these three unique artists while presenting seasoned collectors with a taste of something new.
Steve Powers was born and raised in Philadelphia where he graduated from University of the Arts before relocated to New York City in 1995. Powers’ alias ESPO (Exterior Surface Painting Outreach) won him notoriety not only in the graffiti world and would eventually help him establish himself in the contemporary art world. After some legal complications in 1999, Powers took a different approach to his practice. Having already assumed many roles such as publisher for On the Go Magazine, and author of several books (The Art of Getting Over, First and Fifteenth, and Studio Gangster), Powers began showing work at notable galleries such as New York City’s Deitch Projects. In 2005, he organized the “Dreamland Artist’s Club” a project which allowed professional artists to help Coney Island vendors by repainting their signs. Soon after, Powers was the recipient
of the Fulbright Prize in 2007 and spent six months working in Ireland. The idea was to create public artwork with the help of local teenagers from troubled areas in Dublin and Belfast. His most recent conceptual piece took Powers back to Coney Island where he installed the “Coney Island Waterboarding Thrill Ride”. Responses to Powers artwork have been featured numerous times by the media in such publications as Juxtapoz, Artforum, and The NY Times. He continues to exhibit internationally in such countries as Italy, Paris, England and Canada as well as multiple locations across the United States. Powers currently lives and works in Manhattan.
Steve Powers - "I Tender My Resignation" - Enamel on Aluminum - 24" x 24"
Greg Lamarche was born and raised in Queens and still resides in New York City. Taking inspiration from the streets and using the same fundamentals he developed during his 25 plus years as a graffiti writer, he creates unique collages that blur the line between fine art and graphic design. Each of his pieces take a painstakingly amount of time to make as Greg strictly uses text from found objects and flat leaflet paper that he collects for sometimes years at a time before the final work is created. Greg's work incorporates an array of typography and word fragments as well as elements of graffiti such as motion, repetition, multiple perspectives, bold color, and wit. During the 1990's Greg published Skills Magazine, a cut and paste style collection of graffiti from the world over. Skills Magazine grew in popularity during the early 90's and became an early reflection of hiphop culture at the time, featuring interviews with pioneers of the movement, including Mobb Deep, Black Moon and Masta Ace. These days Greg focuses his skills towards installation graffiti projects, fine art, and commercial work. His work has been featured in numerous gallery showings across North America and in publications such as Juxtapoz, Arkitip, Swindle, Mass Appeal, Vapors, as well as a slew of others.
Greg Lamarche - "The Long Haul" - Paper Collage - 8" x 10"
Greg Gossel was born in Baldwin, Wisconsin in 1982. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In December 2005, Greg moved to Minneapolis where he currently lives and works as a graphic designer. In addition to design, Greg is also dedicated to his personal work, and has been exhibiting in galleries and art fairs internationally for the last several years. Greg views his work as a visual interpretation about life, the struggle, and the beauty. He accomplishes this through the interplay of diverse words, gestures, and images. The process behind each piece is integral, building up a surface, layering it with a variety of mediums, spray paint, paper-collage, serigraph, ink, acrylics and oils. His work is loose and spontaneous; when a piece is finished Greg’s goal is to illustrate a visual history of change, process, and expression.
Greg Gossel - "The Best Of" - Mixed Media On Canvas - 32" x 32"
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