calendario eventi  :: 

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6/8/2010

Two exhibitions

Thinkspace (old address), Los Angeles

‘Love Conquers All: Art for Equality’ group show
Main Gallery

Thinkspace is pleased to present Love Conquers All: Art For Equality, a special exhibition supporting the fight for equality which aims to raise awareness for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) struggle. This special exhibition features the work of over 50 international artists and promises to open eyes and encourage dialogue. Also showing concurrently in our project room will be Well There You Are, an exhibition of new works from Oakland based artist Seth Armstrong, in what will be his debut solo exhibition with our gallery following numerous group show appearances including taking part in last December’s Aqua Art Miami during Art Basel.

So, why are we fighting for civil rights? As of July 2010, multiple states have laws on the books that ban gay marriage by explicitly saying that marriage is a union between “a man and a woman.” In addition, at the Federal level, LGBT individuals have over 1,000 rights that aren’t afforded to them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. They cannot serve our country in the military, cannot jointly file taxes, cannot have a foreign partner made into a legalized citizen, cannot receive death benefits, etc. As you can see, this isn’t only about marriage it’s also about being equally recognized by the government. The issues at hand are much larger than solely marriage.

However, in our fight for civil rights, in this day and age, we have to start somewhere. And, in history the LGBT community has always had the world turned on its ear. Prop 8 served a purpose for those to define a government sanctioned marriage using a definition based on religion, they used gay marriage as a symbol of the undermining of family values and corruption of children and it served as a defining moment that they believed that Jim Crowe's, “separate but not equal”, did not apply to LGBT individuals. For LGBT individuals, it served as a bastion of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel that even after it had passed would usher in a new era of civil rights…an era that would bring a more tolerant, more accepting society.

The fight for equality is not just an LGBT fight; it is a fight for all society. There are many straight allies, like those of us here at Thinkspace and the numerous artists that are involved in Love Conquers All: Art For Equality, that want to see LGBT individuals have the same rights as them. That is why Thinkspace and its co-curators have decided that a portion of the proceeds will go to EQCA (Equality California), because in the past decade, EQCA has successfully passed more than 60 pieces of civil rights legislation for the LGBT community – more than any other statewide LGBT organization in the nation. Working in partnership with California’s LGBT Legislative Caucus, EQCA is committed to building a better future for all Californians by protecting youth, strengthening families and empowering communities.

Artists taking part include: Adam Caldwell, Allison Sommers, Ana Bagayan, Anthony Clarkson, Aunia Kahn, Bob Dob, Brooke Grucella, Bumblebee, Caia Koopman, Cate Rangel, Chet Zar, Chris Murray, Craig ‘Skibs’ Barker, Dabs Myla, Dave Pressler, David MacDowell, Delphia, Erik Siador, Ferris Plock, Genevive Zacconi, Germs, Harriet Lambers, Imminent Disaster, Jacub Gagnon, James ‘Dalek’ Marshall, Jeff Ramirez, Jen Lobo, Jenna Colby, Jesse Hotchkiss, John Michael Gill, John Park, Joseph ‘2H’ McSween, Josie Morway, Kelly Tunstall, Kelly Vivanco, Kevin Titzer, Laurie Lipton, Leontine Greenberg, Lesley Reppeteaux, Linnea Strid, Liz Brizzi, Luke Kopycinski, Mari Inukai, Mark Dean Veca, Melanie Moore, Naoto Hattori, NohJColey, Paul Barnes, Paul Chatem, Rene Gagnon, ROA, Scott Belcastro, Shaunna Peterson, Stella Im Hultberg, Tiffany Liu, Timothy Karpinski, Tony Philippou, Tran Nguyen.

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Seth Armstrong
‘Well There You Are’
Project Room

Artist Seth Armstrong, on view in our project room, creates narrative paintings. Exactly what these narratives are, however, he probably could not tell you. Whether the subject matter is based on found reference or from the imagination, an ambiguous storyline is always present. Even in a straightforward portrait, the circumstances that surround the subject(s) and the instance of the portrait are deeply considered. With an uncertain plot, the stories behind the paintings can be limitless. Sure, the artist has his theories, but these do not take precedence over those of the casual viewer.

Since the paintings themselves are approached individually, the relationship between one piece and another is often disjointed. As a result, a common thread among a body of work is realized (if at all) only after they are completed and viewed as a whole.

Seth Armstrong was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After studying painting in Northern Holland, he received a BFA with High Distinction from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. He currently lives and works in Oakland, CA.

Artist website:
http://www.setharmstrong.com/

Opening Reception: Sat, August 7th 7-10PM

Thinkspace Gallery
6009 Washington Blvd, in the heart of the Culver City Arts District, Culver City, CA 90232
Gallery hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment
free admission

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