Flotsam's Wonder World exhibition by Mike Shine September 18, 2010

Flotsam's Wonder World by Artist Mike Shine
Inagural Exhibition

Closing Ceremony – October 30th, 2010 from 6-11PM

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 18, 2010 from 7-11PM

Exhibition Dates: September 18 – October 30th, 2010

Built on the success of White Walls, The Shooting Gallery and Gallery Three, Justin Giarla is pleased to announce the opening of his fourth exhibition space, 941Geary. His newest venture is dedicated to the artists and projects of cultural distinction currently contributing to the landscape of contemporary art. The inaugural exhibition, Flotsam's Wonder World, by the artist Mike Shine will see a full transformation of 941Geary into an art "opera" complete with films, music, carnival tent, games, and over 200 mixed media pieces. The opening reception will be held on September 18, 2010 from 7-11PM. A closing ceremony will be held on October 30th, 2010 from 6-11PM which will include trick-or-treating from 6-9PM. The exhibition will be on view through October 30th, 2010 and is free and open to the public.

The inception of 941Geary was born of the desire to offer artists the opportunity for new possibilities in experimentation and exploration with their work. The 3,000 square foot converted warehouse provides a platform for artists to implement the environment to further enhance their vision offering viewers a heightened experience of the exhibition. Founded by Justin Giarla, 941Geary continues the intentions that are shared with its sister galleries; White Walls, The Shooting Gallery and Gallery Three. Under Giarla's curatorial direction these spaces foster the recognition of emerging artists, further the exposure of established artists, and accentuate San Francisco as one of the most important cities in which to find the highly collected genres of Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow and Urban Contemporary art.
Blending influences of lost carnivals, Nordic mythology and hazy nostalgia, Mike Shine's eerie yet often light-hearted art has been included in exhibitions with SFMOMA, Laguna Art Museum and The Museum of Craft and Folk Art. His mixed media pieces are typically composed of house paint on found objects like driftwood, buoys, carnival bottles and ephemera.

The artist's sinister characters are made ironically inviting to the viewer with mechanized interactive components that recall classic carnival attractions. Shine will orchestrate over 200 new pieces housed in an all encompassing installation for his exhibition: Flotsam's Wonder World. The art "opera" is based on the carnival ringleader, Flotsam, who Shine considers to be his personal version of Mephistopheles. The artist cites dark, enigmatic figures such as Stanley Kubrick, Friedrich Nietzsche and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as his inspiration for the exhibition.

Mike Shine is a self-taught artist living and working in Bolinas, California. He has exhibited in San Francisco, LA, Laguna Beach, Copenhagen, and Montreal. The artist's work has been featured in Juxtapoz Magazine, Hi-Fructose Magazine, SF Chronicle, Readymade, Art Ltd. and Spread Art/Culture Magazine. The artist hand created the noted Art Shack in Bolinas, a live art installation and environment that mirrors his lifestyle and full immersion in surf and skate culture.