In Focus Next Week: August 3 – 9

August 2, 2015

There are more degrees outside than it is decent, let alone pleasant. The slow part of the season has started, as this is the prime-time of vacation period. Some like it hot, some like it even hotter, but for us, fat ones, this heat is certainly not the happiest part of the year. As migratory birds fly towards warmer places in winter, our "chubby species" should definitely move somewhere where it's cold. But, that doesn't mean that some of big galleries in the art world are slow and inert - on the contrary! We have chosen five events that will mark the beginning of August, all around the (art) world.

On the last day of July, a group painting exhibition called Fantasy of Representation was opened at Beers Contemporary Gallery in London with works of eighteen artists, both established and emerging ones, and it is curated by Andrew Salgado, a London-based artist. Then, on the first day of August, The Great Western exhibition, a group show of three well-known street artists, EINE, Sickboy and Word To Mother, was opened at Vertical Gallery in Chicago. Moving back to Europe, on August 2nd, at Photology Gallery in Noto, Sicily, Vintage Galella exhibition was opened - paparazzi photographs of celebrities taken by Ron Galella. Then, on Wednesday, August 5th, Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York will open doors to visitors for the collective exhibition named infra:REAL – The Art of Imaginative Realism, curated by Patrick Wilshire. Finally, during the weekend that begins on August 7th and ends on August 9th, at Joseph Gross gallery in New York City visitors will be able to see an annual Bad Dads group show, that was inspired by the father figures in Wes Anderson's movies.

So, great, hot week is ahead of us - those of you who thrive during summer, keep up the good work and visit a gallery of your choice. Those of you who don't - well, take it easy... and visit a gallery of your choice. :)

Fantasy of Representation

Opened: July 31

Beers Contemporary

London, United Kingdom

...Figurative painting became forgotten or dismissed after the rise of abstractionism as a dominant artistic approach to painting in the 20th century. While abstract art became highly respected as an artistic practice that can catch the very essence of objects, representational art was pushed to the margins of the art scene, lingering and waiting for a better time to come. Since its revival during the 80’s representational art and figurative painting have reestablished their place in the world of contemporary art and the aim of this exhibition is to show how abstract art sometimes gets lost in the idealist space, telling nothing to the spectators, while figurative art often gets closer to the essence of the represented objects...

The Great Western exhibition (EINE, Sickboy and Word To Mother)

Opened: August 1st

Vertical Gallery

Chicago, United States

...The Great Western title refers to a main railway line in the United Kingdom which connects the cities of London where EINE and Word To Mother are based, and Bristol, a home city of Sickboy. The connection, in this case, is physical, as these artists were frequent travelers on this particular line through their careers, as much as metaphorical, connecting this trio through mutual respect and friendship, resulting in the most recent group show in Chicago...

Vintage Galella

Opened: August 2nd

Photology Gallery

Noto, Sicily, Italy

...Photology Gallery in Noto, Italy, will once again host an exhibition of works by Ron Galella, composed of some of his most iconic images of celebrities. Taken on the streets between New York City and Los Angeles, these “stolen portraits” of famous actors, singers, movie makers and politicians come from a rich archive of more than three million photographs taken by the paparazzi photographer over the years...

infra:REAL

Opening: August 5th

Jonathan LeVine Gallery

New York, United States

...The art of realism depends on the artist’s observational abilities and his technical skills in visual repetition of objects as they are seen in their nature-like forms. This representation of ‘natura naturata’ in Spinozian terms, is seriously challenged once it comes to the artistic styles that keep their connection to the aesthetic of realism but represent objects or landscapes that can’t actually be found in the real surroundings. The art of imaginative realism at infra:REAL exhibition is dealing with this kind of artistic engagement, exploring the way in which visionary and imagined objects can be transposed into realistic imagery...

Spoke-Art's Bad Dads of Wes Anderson

Joseph Gross Gallery

Opening: August 7th

New York, United States

...The exhibition title Bad Dads originates from the unusual reoccurring father figures that Wes Anderson cultivates in his movies. Artists from all over the globe have created paintings, sculptures and prints inspired by some of his original films. Each artist has depicted his favorite movie and then embellished their artworks with the same meticulous detail that is often seen in Wes Anderson’s iconic films...

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Featured image: Anthony Palumbo - The Children, detail (courtesy of Jonathan LeVine Gallery)

Also in slider:
- Dale Adcock - Lady, 2015, detail (courtesy of Beers Contemporary Gallery London)
- Jayde Fish - Margot 2 (courtesy of Spoke-Art gallery San Francisco)
- Ron Galella and Marlon Brando (courtesy of Photology Gallery Noto, Sicily)
- Word to Mother - Desire to Get Higher, 2015 (courtesy of Vertical Gallery Chicago).

Follow These Artists
Ben Eine
Sickboy
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VERTICAL GALLERY

Chicago, United States of America

JONATHAN LEVINE PROJECTS

Jersey City, United States of America

BEERS London

London, United Kingdom

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