Dope Hope

Established in 2008, Last Rites has become a premiere gallery for the Dark Art movement and a haven for artists who prefer to explore the ominous, uncomfortable, and eccentric in their work. Striving to showcase some of the most thought-provoking art in contemporary surrealism, Last Rites creates an atmosphere where the artist can harness limitless expression and the observer can reflect inward, inspired to understand that which resides in us all. The uniqueness of Last Rites, aside from its focus on such work, is the collaborative effort between founding director, Genevive Zacconi and Paul Booth. The fact that they are both accomplished artists as well, allows for a stronger relationship with the exhibited artists, and a more understanding and creative approach to the overall presentation of their work- enhancing the experience for everyone who visits Last Rites Gallery. Last Rites Gallery is located at 511 W 33rd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues (3 blocks from Penn Station), 3rd floor, New York, NY 10011. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 2pm to 9pm, Sundays 2pm to 6pm. far back as I can remember I have always been drawn to self expression through visual arts. As a young girl, growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was not exposed to any classical surreal artist until I attended Overton High School for the performing and Visual Arts. Before that I was raised around an “old school” Harley Davidson shop that my father and his brother owned.I spent many summers helping my father there at the shop and watching him build Harley motorcycles from the ground up and then painted the gas tanks ( and anything else he could find on the motorcycle) with fantasy images that were inspired by such artist as Franzetta and Boris Valleo. I then became fascinated with the beautiful, powerful and sexy women that these artist created. I was accepted into Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. After only two month of training my father had become terminally ill and I was forced to return home to Memphis. I was never able to return to school but could not deny the artist in me the opportunity for expression just because I had never been formally trained. Over the years I researched techniques of the “Old Masters” such as Leonardo Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry. Depending on how much the paint is diluted (with water) or modified with acrylic gels, media, or pastes, the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media.