Sunday, November 6, 2011

Preemptive Evolution in Paris

Hey Everyone, just wanted to finally make a blog post about my solo show in Paris with the press release, happening this thursday November 10th. I've been working on it for what seems like forever, but was actually 18 months. If anyone is in Paris, come on by, or if you know someone is Paris that you think may be interested, please let them know about it. I've posted these before, but I just want to put a cross section of my work for the show on here, and below that is the press release. Just to make it simple though, here is the name and location of the gallery:

Galerie Dukan Hourdequin

24 rue Pastourelle
75003, Paris

Opening thursday November 10th, 6-9 pm.


If you come to the opening, come up to me or Andrew and introduce yourself, we don't really know anyone there so we're looking for friends. Ok, here are some images (I know I've posted them before in separate posts, this will be the last time) and press release. There will be 18 pieces in the show but I don't want to post them all here. Thank you so much to William Huffman for writing the press release.

dukan hourdequin gallery is pleased to present Preemptive Evolution, the first solo exhibition in France by Canadian artist Nicholas Di Genova (1981).


Nicholas Di Genova has developed a unique practice that is as firmly rooted in the utterly fantastical as it is in the deeply scientific. His depictions of hybrid creatures examine wildlife illustration through a Sci-fi lens. Di Genova’s highly detailed, and often encyclopaedic investigations of the natural world, yield monstrosities that are the most unlikely of amalgamations – these can be, for instance, a fusion of cat, goat and snake with cormorant, or tortoise merging into carnivorous plant and even a toad with eight, tentacle-like tongues. His depictions are obviously imagined; but Di Genova’s illustrative precision, makes these Audubon caricatures almost plausible.

His materials are simple; he looks to the conventions of analogue animation, which employs gouache paint on Mylar, or the very basic approach of ink on paper. But Di Genova pushes line-work and a compact colour palette to the extreme; his seamless and fluid application of medium is in the service of an unparalleled intricacy of image. From the tiniest black and white elements (which can be a mere couple of centimetres square) to the robust and colourful, full-sized works, Di Genova’s articulation of shape and texture is nothing short of masterful.

For this exhibition the artist presents a new work entitled10,000 Vertebrates which takes the form of a genus grid comprising 10,000 micro-portraits – perhaps a periodic table of this morphed and grotesque animal species. This particular work is pivotal; certainly because it embodies Di Genova’s relentless capacity for minutiae and detail but moreover, it gives reference to the research back story of his practice. From books, the internet, film and television – this is a practice contingent on mining a diversity of source materials, from factual to absolutely fiction. Not merely a random selection of beaks, claws, fangs, feathers, fur and scales, these creatures are built conceptually first – each telling a distinctive story that is equal parts biology and mythology.

William Huffman, Toronto, July 2011

William Huffman is an visual arts educator, writer and curator based in Toronto, Canada. He currently holds the post of Associate Director at Toronto Arts Council.

La galerie dukan hourdequin est heureuse de présenterPreemptive Evolution, la première exposition personnelle en France de l’artiste canadien Nicholas Di Genova (1981).

Nicholas Di Genova développe une pratique artistique unique en son genre qui est aussi fermement ancrée dans l’absolu fantastique que dans le profondément scientifique. Ses représentations de créatures hybrides examinent l’illustration de la faune à travers le prisme de la science-fiction. Les recherches extrêmement détaillées, et souvent encyclopédiques, de Di Genova sur le monde naturel donnent lieu à des monstruosités qui résultent en des mélanges improbables – il peut s’agir, par exemple, de la fusion d’un chat, d’une chèvre et d’un serpent avec un cormoran, ou une tortue s’amalgamant en une plante carnivore voire même un crapaud avec huit langues en forme de tentacules. Ses représentations sont évidemment le fruit de son imagination ; mais la précision illustrative de Di Genova rend ces caricatures d’Audubon quasiment vraisemblables.


Ses matériaux sont simples ; il s’approprie les conventions de l’animation analogique, qui emploie la gouache sur Mylar, ou la démarche élémentaire de l’encre sur papier. Mais Di Genova étend sa ligne et sa palette de couleurs à l’extrême ; l’application fluide et continue de sa technique est au service d’une imagerie à la complexité sans égal. Du moindre élément en noir et blanc (qui peut avoir la taille d’un carré d’à peine quelques centimètres) aux travaux les plus imposants et colorés, l’articulation de la forme et de la texture de Di Genova est tout simplement irrésistible.

Pour cette exposition, l’artiste présente une nouvelle pièce intitulée 10,000 Vertebrates qui prend la forme d’une grille de genre comprenant 10 000 micro portraits – peut-être un tableau périodique de ces espèces animales métamorphosées et grotesques. Cette œuvre en particulier est cruciale ; certainement parce qu’elle incarne la capacité implacable de Di Genova pour le détail mais plus encore, elle fait référence aux sources de sa pratique. Dans les livres, sur Internet, à la télévision ou dans les films – sa pratique est basée sur l’exploration de sources très diverses, du factuel au plus fictionnel possible. Ces créatures ne relèvent pas simplement d’une sélection aléatoire de becs, de serres, de crocs, de plumes et de fourrures, elles sont avant tout conçues conceptuellement – chacune d’entre elle racontant une histoire distincte ayant aussi bien attrait à la biologie qu’à la mythologie.

William Huffman, Toronto, Juillet 2011

William Huffman est un commissaire d'exposition basé à Toronto, Canada. Il occupe actullement le poste d'Associate Director du Toronto Arts Council.














Thursday, November 3, 2011

THREE KNOCKS at Narwhal Art Projects

Just wanted to let you know that Jamiyla and Adrienne are in a three person show with Katy Horan at Narwhal Art Projects coming up on Friday Nov 11th. I think that Jamiyla and Adrienne's new work is looking amazing. I have never met Katy, but what she has done for the show is looking great as well.

Here is the banner from the show, and a couple of Jamiyla and Adrienne's new pieces. I think this is going to be great, they've been working very hard on it for months.