From Press Release:
Albertz Benda is pleased to present like·ness, a group exhibition featuring works by seven contemporary artists - Del Kathryn Barton, Sara-Vide Ericson, Dongwook Lee, Kalup Linzy, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Terry Rodgers, and Dennis Scholl -that focus on physical egocentricity in the digital age. Through a variety of mediums including film, painting and sculpture, like·ness offers an aesthetic overview of social pressures, the human body and the correlation between vanity, insecurity, and self-obsession.
Serving as an introduction to the exhibition is Rodrigo Prieto's 2013 short film "Likeness". A directorial debut for the Oscar-nominated cinematographer, the film is a personal meditation on eating disorders based on his daughter'sexperiences. Elle Fanning stars as a young girl who struggles with a splintered self-perception highlighted by society's expectations and idealizations of the female form.
Exhibition highlights include: two ornate, figurative paintings by Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton; three large- scale, realist paintings by Terry Rodgers portraying gaunt and privileged youth; conceptual portraits by Swedish artist Sara-Vide Ericson; a mixed-media fragmented figure by Brooklyn-based artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn; foursmall-scale sculptural works depicting contorted human forms by Korean artist Dongwook Lee; and one large-scale surrealist drawing by German artist Dennis Scholl; among others.
Culled from around the globe, the artists in this exhibition utilize character studies as a means of exploring the increasingly complex concept of identity. When viewed from this vantage, the works serve as a statement on the proliferation of social media platforms and the obligation to establish a curated identity. Rather than reinforcing a sense of self, these post-information age "portraits" are a combination of how we want to be seen, how we view ourselves, and the way others perceive us. like·ness emphasizes this disjunction from reality and provides insight into the societal and political aspects that affect everyday life.
About Albertz Benda:
Opened in Fall 2015, Albertz Benda is a new gallery partnership between Thorsten Albertz and Marc Benda committed to presenting and nurturing a contemporary visual arts program, featuring a distinct roster of emerging and established artists.
More information: www.albertzbenda.com
