Elegant Universe

Concurrently on view in the Thinkspace project room is Elegant Universe, featuring new work by Dutch artist Handiedan. Handiedan creates elaborate three dimensional collage pieces from a cut and paste method of re-assemblage. Starting with the iconic imagery of the vintage pin-up girl, popularized in the 30’s, the artist creates complex images from a combination of pattern, figurative imagery, and symbol. Her materials are culled from a vast array of printed cultural currency. Appropriating everything from postage stamps, and legal tender, to origami paper patterns, and historical sheet music motifs, the artist’s work is a combination of re-design and aggregation. Her multi-layered compositions transform found two dimensional imagery, literally re-imagining it in relief. Handiedan’s facility and skill in graphic design, illustration, and photography, is immediately visible in her complex works. Graphically sophisticated, their actual assemblage involves a highly detailed sculptural component. The artist incorporates wood and other materials to raise the surfaces and increase their dimensionality. At times the works feel like complex visual puzzles, with pattern and figurative elements interchangeably intermixed. The degree of complexity and depth is impressive. A pastiche of historical styles, the artist borrows from the Baroque to the Neo-Classical, and from the Victorian to the post-war eras. Handiedan explores beauty as a process of aggregation and re-construction, as she re-assembles the found into highly detailed compositions. The artist also incorporates subtle drawing elements – small tattoos, and seemingly haphazard ballpoint pen doodles – to remind us of her agency in the work’s making, and to strategically interrupt her artfully re-purposed illusions. Internationally exhibited, Handiedan has shown extensively. Her work is currently part of a significant Museum survey show entitled: HEY! Modern Art & Pop Culture II at Musée La Halle Saint Pierre, in Paris, France.

• Dates: April 6, 2013 | April 27, 2013
• Venue: Thinkspace Gallery

Amsterdynasty

Black Book Gallery is at it again for the month of May, delivering some of the most accomplished and established international street artists in the world to Denver. It’s pretty incredible, actually, to think of the shows Black Book Gallery has already produced this year… and 2011 isn’t even half over. We’re talking repeatedly on beat with the likes of gallery exhibitions found in major art hubs: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and the UK. Only these shows require no major travel at all. Pay attention Denver, contemporary and urban art-loving fans; history is happening NOW and it’s all for you, so tuck away any excuses not to attend Black Book Gallery this month, mark your calendars for May 14th and treat yourself to a seriously special collaboration with The London Police and Handiedan! Artists will be in attendance. Chaz and Bob make up The London Police, a widely-known and well-respected duo from England who combine styles on every piece they produce, often mixing in a tall portion of antics and mock-seriousness along the way. In fact, their work is largely created from the dynamics of their friendship, which is a result of two small-town artists who continue to share an insatiable desire to work big and leave their mark. Since the beginning, which was back in 1998, Chaz and Gibson have clicked not only with each other, but with the international, contemporary and urban art world. Unknowingly and out of pure satisfaction to create and collaborate, the two began by traveling into London from their nearby homes tapping into the big city energy and laying down what at the time was not so common large ink drawings on the street surfaces of London and later, Amsterdam. In a well-timed series of events, Chaz and Gibson soon found themselves propelled into a lifestyle of global travel, art-making and art-showing, where The London Police emerged as major icons in the street and graffiti art movement over the past decade, their influence still potent to this day. On their Denver show, Chaz says, “In the collaboration work between Bob and myself we have tried as ever to mix images and impressions of Denver and USA with the world of the LADS (TLP characters). As always its a pure pleasure to be exhibiting our work in another great American city. Denver has always been in my heart ever since Heather Locklear joined the cast of Dynasty and I asked my mum and dad if I could have a lock on my bedroom door.” Bob responds with this, “I was more into ‘Dex Dexter’ in Dynasty to be honest. A dark, manly, well-dressed smooth operator who taught me the value of strong business etiquette and oily seduction.” The name of the show is called “Amsterdynasty.” Chaz explains by saying, “Working life for an Amsterdam artist is a potent mix of love, obsession, sweat and tears. An everyday soap opera in the windmill-strewn, wooden-shoe-wearing canals and alleyways of Holland’s capital, not too dissimilar from the popular Denver-based soap extravaganza that was ‘Dynasty’.” In addition, The London Police are working with Handiedan on an all black and white show. This is a departure from Handiedan’s normal work that is usually full of color. Although, she reports excitement that the black and white challenge is taking her back to her roots in photography.

• Dates: May 14, 2011 | May 31, 2011
• Venue: Black Book Gallery

HANDIEDAN: TRANSLUCENT SKIN

• Dates: Unknown | Unknown
• Venue: Unknown