New: ^..^ and :) art exhibit at Casita Maria in the Bronx

Kitty & Doggie News' featured art exhibit in the Bronx

Casita Maria Center for the Arts and Education
July 1– September 6, 2011
FREE! Opening reception: Friday, July 1, 6-8 pm FREE!
Curated by Brent Birnbaum, Fran Holstrom & Carolyn Salas

Ryan Sullivan, Miles and Me, Digital C-print, 2010

Casita Maria is proud to present two concurrent exhibits: one features artwork depicting animals, the other features artwork depicting humans. The work will cohabitate the same space and elucidates the complicated way we identify as individuals and social beings, once wild.


^..^
Someone let the dogs out in contemporary art! Brent Birnbaum presents a selection of New York City’s talented emerging artists, in a show aptly titled ^..^ which acts more as a symbol (think perky ears) than a slogan. The work of eight artists was chosen for its depiction of animals as vehicles for exploring the human condition, surrogates for human emotions, and/or factual explorations of our relationships with other species. From guard dogs to presidential dogs, and tattoo flash to anthropomorphized creatures, no one here is barking up the wrong tree.

Adam Parker Smith, Allison Hester, Allison Hawkins, Irena Jurek,
Ryan Sullivan, Patrick Marcoux, Doug McQueen, Daniel Heidkamp


:)
Carolyn Salas and Fran Holstrom paired up to present a group exhibition titled, :) The work in this show ranges in its motivation, expression and interpretation of portraiture in contemporary art. Some of the artists included know the person they are depicting, some depict themselves from memory, while others create more open-ended documents or abstract figures meant to appeal to the “everyman”. Whether rendered with a careful hand or an expressive brush, the viewer is offered insight into the existence of others, which inevitably causes self-reflection, doubt and comparison, all of which are fundamental to our realization of “self” dependent on the pack for our individual identities.

Joshua Abelow, Jamison Brosseau, Maureen Cavanough, Holly Coulis, Andy Cross, EJ Hauser, Pablo Helguera, Hein Koh, Willy Wayne Smith

About Casita Maria: Casita Maria is a 75 year old organization with a new arts and education facility located in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. Its mission is to empower youth and their families by creating a culture of learning through high quality social, cultural, and educational opportunities. More information about Casita Maria is available at www.casitamaria.org.

source: Casita Maria

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