PHOENIX -- With the holiday season comes the blur of events, family, traditions, stress, travel…it can really put you in a daze! The monOrchid’s Gallery Director and Curator Justin Germain states, I didn’t want to show traditional holiday imagery, I wanted to show something with a punch, something that may offend some people, but also something that explores artist’s personal feelings about the holidays-and not just Christmas but other holidays and the celebrations in general. This show is bright, fun, offensive, and extremely social. There are works that call to the humanity of the holidays and to powerful memories the artist had of holiday experiences. I definitely took a critical approach and included the best of both worlds-the sweet and the socio-political aspects are both represented well.”
The artists included in “Holy Daze” reflect on their own personal connection to holidays, some religious, some patriotic, some magical, some made-up, but all revered and personal. Many of the works are memories of experiences with holidays past while some are social critiques about the current state of holiday meaning and celebrations. One truth is consistent this show portrays the various ways that the holidays affect people and our views of them could even become jaded. On a broad scale, the exhibition explores the ways that holidays are celebrated in our society; the disregard, loss, and customization of traditions, as well as the merging of iconography and celebration.
The exhibition opens to the public Friday, December 6, 2013 during the First Friday Artwalk and will be on display through January 11, 2014. The featured artists include Scott Wolf, Jayme Blue, Jesse Perry, Valerie Hunt, Cherie Buck-Hutchinson, Randy Zucker, Joseph Podlesnik, Marte Crow, FX Tobin, Craig Cully, AJ Nafziger, Lisa Albinger, Fred Tieken, Patricia Turpin, Angie Zielinski, and Eric Kasper.
The monOrchid is located in the heart of the downtown Phoenix arts district at 214 E Roosevelt St. Originally a Del Webb warehouse constructed in 1937, thirteen years of renovation and invention have morphed the 14,000 square foot building into a unique space for creativity, celebration, and culture.
For more information about the exhibitions or events please visit www.monorchid.com or contact the curator, Justin Germain, at art@monorchid.com
Media Contact
Justin Germain
4806509116
art@monorchid.com
