Above: "Sky High" by Vitus Shell. Image via SooVAC.
The Twin Cities' art community is returning from pandemic-induced closures. SooVAC gallery reopened with exhibitions "New Age Nostalgia," "Plates" and "Full Spectrum" by artists from Minneapolis and beyond.
Louisiana-based artist Vitus Shell's exhibition "New Age Nostalgia" features large-scale, mixed-media collage paintings of the Black experience that combine photocopies of vintage advertisements, graffiti techniques portraiture-style renderings. Shell's artwork gives agency to people in his community. In "Sky High," a Black man wearing a beige-colored suit and black slacks floats above the city, the text "safe space" shimmering in the sky behind him.
Christopher Selleck's exhibition "Plates" combines portraits of body builders developed through an antiquated photographic process, with cast ceramic weight lifting plates. By selecting men with different physiological makeups, he attempts to reexamine outdated definitions of masculinity. (Left: "Mike" by Christopher Selleck.)
In Chris Heidman;s and Lauren Krukowski's "Full Spectrum," abstract paintings detach from any bodily forms, but some familiar marks remain. "Yep . . . Indeed" by Heidman (below) appears to feature a blonde version of Trump's hair walking around on cactus-like sticks, facing an orange-striped and pink-striped structure. The playfulness of these language-less works offers a space for wondering whatever it could be during a time when reality feels harsher than ever. Chris Heidman and Lauren Krukowski will speak about their work in a Zoom talk on Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. Click here for the link or use meeting ID 868 4187 8423
SooVAC is located at 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Suite 101, Minneapolis. The gallery is open Sat. & Sun from 1-4 p.m. or by appointment only. All visitors must wear masks, and capacity is limited to 10 people at a time. Exhibitions close on Oct. 25. Free. For more information, visit soovac.org or call 612-871-2263.
Above: Chris Heidman, "Yep . . . Indeed," 2018. Acrylic and polymer gel with gold leaf and graphite, 2018.
