The opening reception for 5X10: Contemporary, a show curated by studio artist Jorge Mujica, who regularly works and shows in Long Beach, will be this Saturday, March 14 at the ArtExchange from 6:00PM to 11:00PM. Works by Patrick Ahern, Ching Ching Cheng, Robert Grad, Nano Rubio and Andrew K. Thompson will be shown together.
Constantly questioning the definition of contemporary art and how contemporary art is most commonly shown, Mujica has created what at first glance seems to be a hodgepodge of clashing works made by five different artists. Different patterns, mediums, textures, sizes and shapes of works placed next to each other create a gallery space where at some points, you’re not sure who made what, but it sets up the stage for genuine surprise, natural curiosity and an honest reaction from the viewer.
Stepping into the showroom is an experience from the start, as the viewer comes to understand the thin string of similarities running between each artists’ work and why such works were placed together. Rubio’s paintings of contrasting shapes and lines are loud and draw you in, Cheng’s fabric-based sculptures are a subtle addition to the show, to be noticed later with perhaps more internal ponderance, Ahern’s scrupulously made, life-size crocheted portraits are bewildering, to say the least, when one thinks about the repetitive motion needed to accomplish such detailed, painting-like pieces.
The five artists selected by Mujica are described as “self-driven” while each displays an internal questioning or narrative within his or her artworks. Thompson’s photographic experiments and his off-kilter combination of photography with other materials, such as thread and canvas, will have you nose-close to each work, while Grad’s ethereal, transparent, photographic collages will leave you with sense of wonder and nostalgia.
5X10: Contemporary opened to the public Monday and will be on view until April 23, with a closing reception from 6:00PM to 11:00PM. Upcoming events at the ArtExchange surrounding the exhibition will be a Film Screening and Artist Talk on Thursday, March 19 at 6:00PM and 5X10: Un-Sound, curated by Thompson, on Saturday, April 11 at 6:00PM.
For more information about the artists and their work, visit the Facebook event page here.
ArtExchange is located at 356 E. 3rd St.
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