FUMED: Meditations on Urban Aesthetics December 2, 2005

POLVO
1458 W. 18th St. 1R
Chicago, Illinois 60608

Artists: Jessica Aiken, Mike Genovese, Victor Lopez, Nino Rodriguez

Opening Friday, December 2, 2005 from 6pm 10pm December 2, 2005 - December 24, 2005

Mini-installation:Marcela Chaidez de Nunez Mini-exhibit: Elvia Rodriguez-Ochoa

" FUMED" is not an attempt to "gallerize" Graffiti in its true form rather it focuses on the conceptual exercise in which artists examine their artistic transformation upon the introduction of Graffiti into their studio practice. The fusion that occurs between these two camps generates a crossbreed of hybrid aesthetics which constructs a visual language that leads to a distinct and idealistic identity.

Added by carlwarnick on December 1, 2005

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carlwarnick

FUMED opened at Polvo tonight.



The curator Jaime Mendoza had this to say:

The participating artists have either practiced Graffiti for creative pursuits or have been influenced through contemporary urban culture."
Nino Rodriguez's small paintings, especial the one pictured above center; have an elegant sence of line and color, which contrasts well with their somewhat brutal lyrical content.

In a mini-installation parallel to the Graffiti show Marcella Chaidez presented a sculpture resembling a small bustier with umbilical cord constructed out of dyed blue holes punched from books. Which of course raises the question, which books?



It is perhaps more proper to say that the sculpture resembles the shell of a torso, a shell representing a small child. However my first thought was bustier. That thought, mistaken as it might be, is infecting my thoughts.



The thing about these blue punched paper holes is that they look like sequins. They look like sequins a lot! They also appear to be fused to the body. What we are left imagining is a child beauty pageant fire which fuses a blue sequin dress to a pageant model. Any critique which reaches Michael Jackson is then automatically complete.



Interested 1

carlwarnick