7/2/2007
Two exhibitions
Sunday, New York
In Joel Gibb's world, some of life's darkest moments are tenderized with a gentle touch. His felt banners, collages, watercolors, videos, and of course songs, somehow manage to soften and even celebrate death, disease, and doom. On view in the project space are recent drawings by artist, filmmaker, and musician G.B. Jones.
Joel Gibb / G.B.Jones
The Good People of SUNDAY are pleased to present the first solo exhibition by artist and musician Joel Gibb. On view
concurrently in the project space are recent drawings by artist, filmmaker, and musician G.B. Jones.
In Joel Gibb’s world, some of life’s darkest moments are tenderized with a gentle touch. His felt banners, collages,
watercolors, videos, and of course songs, somehow manage to soften and even celebrate death, disease, and doom. Emblematic
and striking, images of skulls, penis-daggers, and gravestones seem to arise from a song or, as the artist describes the
relationship between his works of art and music: “words become shapes and shapes become melodies.” Conflating Pop, Folk,
and religious tradition with influences from General Idea to Hugo Ball, Gibb’s cross-disciplinary oeuvre conveys notions about
politics, pleasure, mortality, and love.
Joel Gibb (b. 1977, Kincardine, ON, Canada) received a BAH from the University of Toronto; he currently lives and works in
Toronto and Berlin. In addition to this exhibition, his work has been included in exhibitions and screenings at the Tate Modern,
London; the Art Gallery of York University, Toronto; and Art Metropole, Toronto, among others. He is a member of the
collaborative The Ensemble of Tops’N’Bottoms with Karen Azoulay and has collaborated on Gay Goth Scene with Paul P. In
addition, he is the leader of the self-described “gay church folk” band The Hidden Cameras, which has nine releases to date on
various record labels including Rough Trade, Arts & Crafts, Absolutely Kosher, as well as his own EvilEvil. Rise Up Thou
Earth is the artist’s first New York solo exhibition.
Exquisitely focused on surface, the recent graphite drawings of G.B. Jones represent animals alongside sepulchral monuments
and crosses. Invoking the various cultural meanings that the two have accumulated throughout history, the artist subtly
questions the tendency of society to use such symbols to assert its values upon others. In the tradition of artists such as Caspar
David Freidrich, Jones draws the viewer back towards the meanings such symbols had centuries ago, which in her words,
"return to the darkness within".
G.B. Jones (b. Bowmanville, ON, Canada) lives and works in Toronto. She has had solo exhibitions at Feature, New York; and
Paul Petro Contemporary, Toronto, among others. Her drawings and films have been included in numerous international
exhibitions and screenings throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Her work has been reviewed extensively in The
New York Times, The Village Voice, ArtForum, and Flash Art, among others and has been featured in numerous publications
and recordings, including most recently LTTR Issue 5. She has directed and appeared in several underground films including
The Yo-Yo Gang and has contributed to Miranda July’s Joanie4Jackie. In addition, she was a founding member of the band
Fifth Column, co-publisher of the fanzine J.D.s with Bruce LaBruce and Double Bill with a rotating roster of editors.
Image: Joel Gibb
Reception: Thursday, February 8th, 6-9 PM (with after-party by Unisex Salon at the Delancey)
Sunday
237-A Eldridge Street | New York
Gallery hours: Wednesday – Friday, 12-5 PM; Saturday – Sunday, 12-6 PM
Free admission