Square One Gallery, in partnership with Lococo Fine Art Publishing, is proud to present “Woodz ‘N Thingz” - a presentation of print editions from Kenny Scharf’s 2022 portfolio of the aforementioned title. The exhibition will be on view from October 18th - November 22nd at Square One Gallery. Please join us for the opening reception Friday, October 18th from 6-9pm.
A continuation of his legendary œuvre, “Woodz ‘N Thingz” illustrates a constant interplay between ecosystems - the awareness of the observer and the delicacy of the environment - with Scharf creating magnetic compositions that exist in the ambiguity of transition and change while highlighting contemporary environmental perils and impending global crises. By employing a recognizable visual lexicon with imagery found frequently throughout his works, Scharf has crafted a new template to explore the interconnectedness of living things, and the ways in which we interact with each environment we find ourselves in. Through “Woodz ‘N Thingz”, Scharf has unveiled a utopic vision and architecture unique to his painterly style, suggesting the possibility of attaining a deeper conscious awareness by simplifying the ways in which we live, and reconnecting to the natural world.
While the sold out original paintings first exhibited in 2022 with TOTAH in New York City, “Woodz ‘N Things” has become a landmark series in Scharf’s career, now spanning almost 5 decades, and resulted in the exclusive publishing of the edition portfolio with Lococo based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Since 1990, Lococo has collaborated with master printmakers to present editions and multiples from world class international artists.
Kenny Scharf (born in Los Angeles, 1958) attended Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts and came of age in the 1980s New York downtown art scene alongside his contemporaries Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. A painter and performer inhabiting the visual worlds of both street art and popular culture, Scharf’s graffiti paintings gained him notoriety and established a vernacular language all his own. Often working with improvisation, he creates playful, gestural pieces that blend stylized motifs with references to the surreal, science fiction, and icons of popular culture. Scharf uses cartoon images in his art work to bring popular culture into the fine arts. Scharf wants to see how far he can push the line between high and low art. Scharf to this day is making art work that makes the viewers think about where the line is and how far has the artist pushed it.
Join us for the opening reception:
Friday October 18th // 6-9pm
Square One Gallery
4814 Washington Blvd, 312, STL
For sales and inquiries:
info@squareonegallery.com
+1 314-252-8571
