Alex Gross ‘Contemplation (Slurpee)’ (oil on canvas – 42 x 32 inches)
Alex Gross, probably one of the most renowned contemporary surrealists today, will be opening in a couple of weeks “Antisocial Network”, his first exhibition in Los Angeles in over a decade at Corey Helford Gallery.
The exhibition will be presenting a new body of work consisting of about twenty full size paintings, several drawings, and over a dozen new cabinet card paintings. His work focuses on themes like globalisation, technology, commerce, beauty and darkness.
AS pointed in the press release, modern technology appears in only about half of the works. One interpretation gleaned from the new work is that social networks, both real and online, rather than bringing us closer, are tearing us apart, resulting in isolation, loneliness, and the inability to exist in the present.
Several paintings make also reference to well-known corporate brands, but overall the work has a more intimate and personal slant than Gross’ previous exhibitions. In several pieces, figures are lost in thought, if not distracted by a phone or VR headset, then perhaps by their thoughts. In another, a young lady seems to contemplate her own mortality within a giant slurpee. Another floats aimlessly, lost in thought in the bath, alone but for a few rubber ducks. An attractive couple embrace while at the beach, but one of them appears to be quietly fading away. And a seeming bride-to-be cradles the head of her apparently android companion.
The opening reception for Alex Gross’ new collection will be hosted Saturday, February 25th, 2017 from 7-11pm in the main gallery at Corey Helford Gallery. The reception is open to the public and will be on view through March 25th, 2017.
Alex Gross ‘Shopaholics II’ (oil on canvas – 42 x 42 inches)
Alex Gross ‘Monogatari’ (oil on canvas – 41 x 41 inches)
About Alex Gross:
Alex Gross was born in 1968 in Roslyn Heights, NY and currently lives in Los Angeles. In 1990, he received a BFA with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Since then, he has had nine solo exhibitions at various galleries, and participated in dozens of museum and gallery exhibitions across the globe. His 2017 exhibition, entitled “Antisocial Network,” at Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery will be his tenth solo exhibition.
In the summer of 2007, Gross’ first retrospective museum show was held at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CA. Gross is a recipient of the prestigious Artist’s Fellowship from the Japan Foundation, and several faculty grants from Art Center College of Design, where he taught from 1994 to 2005.
In 2006, Chronicle Books published Gross’ first monograph, The Art of Alex Gross. Gross’ second fine art book, Discrepancies, was published by Gingko Press in 2010, and includes an introduction by former LA Weekly Art Critic Doug Harvey. In 2012, Gingko published Gross’ third book, Now And Then, The Cabinet Card Paintings of Alex Gross, which includes 98 mixed media paintings. October 2014 brought the release of Gross’ fourth book, entitled Future Tense, Paintings by Alex Gross, again published by Gingko Press. Future Tense is 96 pages and features 40 paintings done between 2010 and 2014. The introduction was written by Caleb Neelon.
For more info about the artist visit alexgross.com and connect on Instagram and Facebook.
Alex Gross_in process shot of ‘Mirror (after Tooker)
About Corey Helford Gallery:
Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) was first established in 2006 by Jan Corey Helford and her husband, television producer and creator, Bruce Helford (Anger Management, The Drew Carey Show, George Lopez, The Oblongs) and has since evolved into one of the premier galleries of New Contemporary art. Its goals as an institution are the support and growth of young and emerging, to well-known and internationally established artists, the production and promotion of their artwork, and the general production of their exhibits, events and projects.
CHG represents a diverse collection of international artists, primarily influenced by today’s pop culture and collectively encompassing style genres such as New Figurative Art, Pop Surrealism, Neo Pop, Graffiti and Street Art, and Post-Graffiti.
After nine years in Culver City, CHG relocated in December 2015 to a robust 12,000 sq. ft. building in Downtown Los Angeles, seven times larger than its original space, where it continues to host exhibitions within the heart of the city’s art community. The current space boasts three separate galleries, each of which house individual artist and group exhibitions, whereas the main gallery offers 4,500 sq. ft., providing total immersion for its attendees. New exhibitions are presented approximately every four weeks.
For more info and an upcoming exhibition schedule, visit coreyhelfordgallery.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
You might also like
