White Walls Presents:
"In One Hand a Ghost, the Other an Atom"
A Solo Show by New2  Preview the Show
Please Contact Tova with Inquiries
RSVP to the Event White Walls is pleased to present In One Hand a Ghost, the Other an Atom a solo show featuring new works from Australian artist New2. The exhibition will feature between 16 and 24 large-scale works made entirely from paper. The opening reception will be Saturday, December 15th from 7-11 PM, and is free and open to the public for viewing through January 5th, 2013.
All the works of In One Hand a Ghost, the Other an Atom are hand-cut layered paper collages, crafted with even more detail than the work New2 debuted in 941 Geary’s showcase of the top contemporary Australian artists, Young and Free. With 28 years of writing on trains and in the street, New2’s mastery is evident, with some pieces displaying the artist’s more traditional lettering, while others break off into progressive new forms. Paper is not a medium one normally associates with graffiti. New2’s meticulously-layered collages push our standard conception of the art form. The bold compositions take on a different shape depending on the angle they’re seen from, and the unexpected dips and valleys in the lightweight material creates a striking juxtaposition.
From the Artist:
My recent works are concerned with the juggling of and merging of apparent dualities as facets of one experience and possessing the old and new simultaneously. An example of this is the traditions I've been a part of during my 28 years of writing ("ghost") dissolving into and carrying over into my more personalized futuristic take on letters ("atom") and using this as a vehicle abstractly exploring notions such as religion versus science, belief and its relationship with apparent fact. The kind of things that polarize people but are different takes on the same event.
New2 began painting in Melbourne Australia in the early 1980s. He is a founding member of the Da Mad Artists (DMA) crew who were prominent figures in the Australian train writing movement. He was part of the first generation of writers and street artists to gain recognition outside of Australia. New2 is still writing on walls and also investigating other areas of his creative field, utilizing paper collage, ceramic versions of his lettering, and wooden sculptures. He has exhibited in both group and solo shows in Australia, United States and Europe. Whilst his wall pieces are visually modern and progressive, his work respects the ongoing tradition of letter writing. Shooting Gallery Presents:
"Steppe Warriors"
New Works by Zaya Shooting Gallery is pleased to present Steppe Warriors, a solo show by Zaya, featuring twelve ink and watercolor paintings inspired by the Mongolian horsemen history of Chinggis Khan (more commonly known in the U.S. by the Persian spelling Ghengis Khan.) Through watercolors, gouache, and mixed media, the artist brings a new life to the styles and themes of Mongolian traditional painting with the addition of Japanese techniques and contemporary Asian art influences. The opening reception will be Saturday, December 15th, from 7-11pm, and is free and open to the public for viewing through January 5th, 2013.
Born in 1975 in a dry, desert town of Southwestern Mongolia artist Zayasaikhan Samuu, known as Zaya, began his life within a place of rich cultural history that much of the world knows little about. The extensive warfare of the Mongol Empire and its incredible expansion under the rule of Chinggis khan inspires a wealth of powerful imagery in “Steppe Warriors,” but perhaps even more powerful are the scenes of daily life, honoring the Central Asian nomadic lifestyle and a people who have flourished amidst harsh climates and religious censure. First converted to Buddhism in the late thirteenth century, the Mongols’ culture is one undeniably shaped by Tibetan spirituality, though Buddhism was outlawed as much of Mongolia’s heritage was repressed during the country’s most strident communist era beginning in the 1930s. The late eighties marked a lessening of oppression in a restructuring movement akin to the Soviet’s perestroika, called shinechel by Mongolians, and with it the customs and values of Zaya’s country began to resurface, inspiring his artistic talents.
Utilizing a detail-driven style, Zaya has said he is set on ‘evangelizing Mongolian art through a contemporary oeuvre that suggests antiquity,’ and he is doing so with remarkable skill. Both warriors and royalty are depicted with the same sleek grace and fluid line work. The volatile movement of the battle and hunting scenes of Steppe Warriors are visually balanced in the exhibition by tranquil portraits, composed with elegant costumes and hairstyles drawn directly from nomadic aristocracy.
After a two year period as a monk, Zaya enrolled at the Soyol Fine Art College in Ulaanbaatar to study traditional Mongolian fine arts. He continued his artistic studies at the Institute of Fine Art at the Mongolian University of Culture and Art, graduating in 2002 and beginning to work as an artist. In recent years, Zaya has joined the international community of artists, with shows in the USA, Australia, Japan, Europe, China, Russia, India, Korea, and Mongolia.
If you missed our most recent shows, check out "CONGO" by Jonathan Darby at White Walls, "Empty Room" by Adam Caldwell at Shooting Gallery, and "REFLECTED" by APEX at 941 Geary.
We look forward to seeing you at the galleries!
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