KATHY HALPER: EPIC PARTY
November 8th - December 20th, 2014 Artist Reception: Saturday, November 8th, 5 - 8pm |
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
George Billis Gallery LA is pleased to present Epic Party, the gallery's first solo exhibition of works by Chicago based artist Kathy Halper. The exhibition features the artist's recent hand embroidered works and continues through December 20th.
Kathy Halper’s works are inspired by today’s obsession with social media. Her works are specific to the sometimes cringe worthy statements teenagers reveal to open platforms like Facebook which is where her images and text are pulled from. Many mothers feel it is their duty to preserve the history of their children’s past – in the age before the internet mothers would do that with photo albums and even quilts to hold these memories which is where the interesting clash of content and medium of her work become a conversation for today’s era of art. The artist writes of her work: “My goal as a mother is to explore and connect to this complex age group who often shut out their parents while still needing a soft bed and a tender touch. Because these kids are often in the throws of celebration there is a raucousness and lighthearted nature present in many of the images. But there are also moments of quiet, embarrassment, anger, recklessness and more. In choosing the text I am able to create a new narrative for the images that takes them further from their origins and captures a heightened moment in time.”
Halper and has shown at numerous galleries in the Midwest and East Coast; Epic Party is the artist’s first solo show on the West Coast. Halper has won first place in many juried shows including twice at the The Art Center in Illinois and has worked on many public art projects including a mural at O’Hare International Airport. Her work is in the collections of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, NBC/Universal, and Wells Fargo, among many others. She lives and works in Chicago.
Back to Artist Page
Kathy Halper’s works are inspired by today’s obsession with social media. Her works are specific to the sometimes cringe worthy statements teenagers reveal to open platforms like Facebook which is where her images and text are pulled from. Many mothers feel it is their duty to preserve the history of their children’s past – in the age before the internet mothers would do that with photo albums and even quilts to hold these memories which is where the interesting clash of content and medium of her work become a conversation for today’s era of art. The artist writes of her work: “My goal as a mother is to explore and connect to this complex age group who often shut out their parents while still needing a soft bed and a tender touch. Because these kids are often in the throws of celebration there is a raucousness and lighthearted nature present in many of the images. But there are also moments of quiet, embarrassment, anger, recklessness and more. In choosing the text I am able to create a new narrative for the images that takes them further from their origins and captures a heightened moment in time.”
Halper and has shown at numerous galleries in the Midwest and East Coast; Epic Party is the artist’s first solo show on the West Coast. Halper has won first place in many juried shows including twice at the The Art Center in Illinois and has worked on many public art projects including a mural at O’Hare International Airport. Her work is in the collections of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, NBC/Universal, and Wells Fargo, among many others. She lives and works in Chicago.
Back to Artist Page
George Billis Gallery opened its second location in the Culver City area of Los Angeles in 2004 and marks its 15th year in the Chelsea arts district in New York City. George Billis shows work by both emerging and established artists. For more information please contact the gallery at:
2716 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
T: 310-838-3685
F: 310-838-3438
email: [email protected]
www.georgebillis.com
2716 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
T: 310-838-3685
F: 310-838-3438
email: [email protected]
www.georgebillis.com