Arch Enemy Arts is excited to introduce two captivating solo exhibitions currently on view, NIGHT SHADES by Maryann Held and FIRST NIGHT by Nom Kinnear King. Delve into the whimsical landscape of each artist’s vision and stylistic expression that lets you embark upon a journey through their imagination. Within their works, the realm of possibility knows no bounds.
If you find yourself craving more inspiration, venture into the 2024 Spotlight Showcase, Arch Enemy Arts’ annual Open Call To Artists! Go ahead, indulge in a diverse array of artistic perspectives and let your own creativity soar.
Maryann Held | Nom Kinnear King | 2024 Spotlight Showcase
Exhibition Dates: March 1 – 31, 2024
Arch Enemy Arts
109 Arch Street | Philadelphia, PA 19106 USA | (215) 717-7774
For sales or private viewing appointments, please email info@archenemyarts.com
Regular Gallery Hours:
CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY
• Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10am – 4pm
• Saturdays & Sundays: 11am – 5pm
March 1st – 31st, 2024
Arch Enemy Arts presents NIGHT SHADES, eight new works by local painter Maryann Held that explore creatures and elements associated with darkness. Held’s supernatural familiars—ravens, owls, snakes and bats—are carefully and naturalistically rendered in stark contrast to the complex, geometric, yet deceptively simple abstract florals and celestial patterns that envelop her creatures.
“I’ve always been passionate about drawing and painting animals, particularly birds. More recently, I became very interested in folk art including Pennsylvania Dutch textiles and hex signs. I also like searching for interesting old frames, and I often make images with a specific frame from my collection in mind.”
We love the way Held’s frames, which range from opulent, gilded Victorian to more streamlined Art Deco motifs, encase and finish her work, becoming part of the pieces themselves. They mirror the fusion of decorative and devotional within her work, and offer an additional nod to the blend of historical references and interests that inspire her.
Maryann Held graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has been working professionally as a painter and illustrator for over ten years. She began showing with Arch Enemy Arts in 2020 after submitting to our Spotlight Showcase. Immediately appealing to our collectors, she’s exhibited in countless group shows and has hosted solo features every year since.
March 1st – 31st, 2024
Arch Enemy Arts presents FIRST NIGHT, a whimsical and captivating tableaux by Norfolk painter Nom Kinnear King. Inspired by the magic of theater and set in the English countryside, Nom invites viewers to a place where childhood imagination takes center stage, where artists and dreamers bask in the ritual of performance, and the stage transports us to another world.
“I always lean towards nostalgia, and with this series I want viewers to remember the performances they put on as a child, the joy in dressing up and putting on a show even on a stage of just I, so they may feel peaceful and drift into their own memories of play.”
In FIRST NIGHT, Nom’s expressive brush ripples in warm and gentle tones to capture the anticipation and excitement of opening night. The musician tunes her instrument. The dancer dons her costume. Regal and alluring, the curtain draws to the open sky, and the actor takes her bow. Submerged in light and pattern, these paintings conjure the emotional gravitas of the stage; the beauty of storytelling unfolds with every stroke. Nom strikes a chord in the hearts and minds of the audience as she reminds us of our own inner play and the magic that transpires when the lights dim, the music begins, and the actors take the stage.
Based in the City of Norwich, Nom Kinnear King has been showing with Arch Enemy Arts since 2016. A staple of the gallery, her work has appeared in more than twenty group exhibitions, and FIRST NIGHT marks her fifth solo exhibition with our gallery.
FIRST NIGHT will be on view from March 1st – 31st, 2024
Sold works will begin to ship the week starting April 7th, unless other rush arrangements have been made.
March 1st – 31st, 2024
The annual Open Call To Artists by AEA is a platform dedicated to discovering and celebrating new and emerging talent from around the world. After receiving a vast pool of submissions each year, we carefully curate a selection of artists whose work stands out for their innovation, technicality, and resonance with the Arch Enemy Arts aesthetic.
We are one of the few galleries of our peers to support an open forum into the New Contemporary art scene, and as such, we proudly present the 2024 Spotlight Showcase, a dynamic display of thirty artists working in various mediums and styles, to provide a fresh and vibrant perspective of new work today. Join us in congratulating:
Alexandra Lukaschewitz, Andrea Hooge, Anhuar Del Prado, Bethany Krull, Brian R. Williams, Caney Hummon, Carlos Fdez, Catherine Haverkamp, Chris Becker, Claudia Griesbach-Martucci, Erica Peebus, Eric Sonntag, Erik Ebeling, Heidi Taillefer, Ian C. Hess, Jake Mensinger, JB Burke, Katy Paull, Kerry R. Thompson, Mila Useche, October Garner, Rachel Bensimon, Rhonda Libbey, Sara Vonepp, Sarah Jamison, Sarah Keys, Stefania Sbrighi, Taegan Adam Treichel, Taylor Rose, and Vanessa Michiels.
THE 2024 SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE will be on view from March 1st – 31st, 2024
Sold works will begin to ship the week starting April 7th, unless other rush arrangements have been made.
About the Gallery //
Seeking to fill the need for a centralized hub focused exclusively on new contemporary genres within Philadelphia’s already vibrant art scene, Arch Enemy Arts was founded in 2012 and quickly became Philly’s freshest new venue dedicated to exhibiting emerging and established artists, both local and international. Located in Philadelphia’s Old City District, and with an emphasis on the lowbrow, pop-surrealism, urban, and macabre in a wide range of mediums, Arch Enemy Arts was chosen as Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of Philly”™ Best Art Gallery for its 40th Anniversary issue, voted the “Best Art Gallery in Philadelphia” on Philly HotList in 2013, and in 2012.
Noah Musher // co-founder & owner
Lawren Alice // co-founder & curator
