In their main gallery, Thinkspace Projects is thrilled to present new group exhibition ‘SMOL’, which features a captivating array of smaller artworks from a diverse lineup of talented artists. Alongside this special theme, visitors can explore solo exhibitions by Lucas Lobo in Gallery I, Hendra ‘HeHe’ Harsono in Gallery II, Alvaro Naddeo in Gallery III, and Zeinab Diomande, aka Z The Rat, in Gallery IV. Additionally, the courtyard will be adorned with pieces from Fl.our.pots at the Dog House Gallery. Each artist brings an exceptional voice and personal style, offering a refreshing break from the ordinary while inviting visitors to immerse themselves creativity. In a world of creativity and innovation, where each piece tells a story, the diversity and individuality of these collections will surely inspire enthusiasts in the mood for a little art appreciation.
With an eclectic mix of techniques and compositional elegance, these exhibitions promise to be a feast for the senses. From intricate details to bold expressions, there’s something for everyone to admire. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the power and art in its purest form. Stop by Thinkspace Projects for the opening reception, June 29th, and let the weekend transport you to new realms of imagination and inspiration.
If you’re still looking to be inspired, Thinkspace Projects also offers a full schedule of events, interviews, and much more to keep you and your creative needs fully immersed. Be sure to follow their blog Sour Harvest to stay updated on all the artsy things you love! With just a few clicks, you can browse through an extensive selection of art. Take a moment and visit Thinkspace Projects’ online store to view all available inventory, created by talented artists from around the world!
Thinkspace Projects Presents
‘SMOL’ group show | HeHe | Naddeo | Z the Rat | Fl.our.pots
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 29, 2024 | 6:00-10:00pm
with DJ, refreshments, live painting, video projections and more
Exhibition Dates: June 29, 2024 – July 20, 2024
Thinkspace Projects
4207 W. Jefferson Blvd. | 4217 W. Jefferson Blvd. | Los Angeles, CA 90016
#310.558.3375 | Tues. – Sat. Noon to 6PM
thinkspaceprojects.com
For all inquiries please contact the gallery via email at contact@thinkspaceprojects.com
Search their hashtags: #thinkspaceprojects #thinkspacegallery #thinkspacefamily
About the Thinkspace Projects //
Thinkspace Projects was founded in 2005; now in LA’s burgeoning West Adams District, the gallery has garnered an international reputation as one of the most active and productive exponents of the New Contemporary Art Movement. Maintaining its founding commitment to the promotion and support of its artists, Thinkspace Projects has steadily expanded its roster and diversified its projects, creating collaborative and institutional opportunities all over the world. Founded in the spirit of forging recognition for young, emerging, and lesser-known talents, the gallery is now home to artists from all over the world, ranging from the emerging, mid-career, and established.
The New Contemporary Art Movement, not unlike its earlier 20th Century counterparts like Surrealism, Dada, or Fauvism, ultimately materialized in search of new forms, content, and expressions that cited rather than disavowed the individual and the social. The earliest incarnations of the Movement, refusing the paradigmatic disinterest of “Art” as an inaccessible garrison of ‘high culture’, championed figuration, surrealism, representation, pop culture, and the subcultural.
By incorporating the ‘lowbrow,’ accessible, and even profane, an exciting and irreverent art movement grew in defiance of the mandated renunciations of “high” art. Emerging on the West Coast in the 90’s partly as a response to the rabid ‘conceptual-turn’ then championed on the East Coasts, the Movement steadily created its own platforms, publications, and spaces for the dissemination of its imagery and ideas.
‘SMOL’, Small works group exhibition
‘SMOL’ is a very special show for us here at Thinkspace. Shawn had been wanting to get this show together for a while and we were just about to dive into putting it together when cancer took her from us. We had a rough list coming to life and I made it my mission to bring her vision to life and I am so excited with how many creatives from our family were able to take part with such short notice. We’ve always been a champion of starting your collection out with smaller works and I still actively collect smaller works to this day. I like to think Shawn is proud of this show and proud of me and our family as we work to bounce back after the greatest loss any of us could imagine. This was the last show she was actively involved in putting together with me, which definitely makes this all a bit too bittersweet.
’SMOL’ showcases works sized 16×20 inches and under. We want to give young collectors and those on a budget the chance to get something nice for themselves, as well as encouraging all of our patrons to collect smaller works, as they bring so much joy. The show title plays off the popular internet slang for saying someone or something is small in size and so cute that you just want to squeeze ‘em.
Visit the gallery website for a full list of participating artists!
LUCAS LOBO, ‘I Water Flowers In the Rain’
Lucas Lobo lives and works in Brazil… past that, he is an enigma, even to us. His hyper detailed, overly saturated works are a mind-bending menagerie of pop culture imagery funneled through Lobo’s unique lens.
It’s an honor to present a new collection of work on canvas and paper for ‘I Water Flowers In the Rain’ from this elusive creative genius out of South America.
HENDRA ‘HEHE’ HARSONO, ‘Once Upon A Blue Light’
Show Statement //
“Once Upon A Blue Light” focuses on the theme of human relations with social media: how new behaviours and habits are formed, and how to respond to them. Why am I interested in this issue? Well, besides being an active user of social media, it’s because social media has become an important part of everyday life with all its effects, positive or negative.
In my opinion, being immersed in social media for a long time inundates us with information and lack of imagination. Imagination is very important for me in creating work. Painting, for instance, is significant because through it, I can spark the imagination of those who see it.
The sentence “Once Upon a Blue Light” is a reference that I took from a fragment of the opening sentence common in fairy tales, “once upon a time…”. When I was little, I always read fairy tales before going to bed, but now, this ritual has been replaced by scrolling on my gadget. As we prepare our bodies to rest at night, the blue light emitted by our device screens signals the brain to remain active and awake.
Artist Bio //
Working and living as an artist in Jogjakarta. Studied at ISI Yogyakarta as a graphic arts major. Since the beginning he’s always been interested in working with painting, drawing, resin toys, with premises based on his experiences in everyday life and issues of contemporary culture.
In 2011 make a artist initiative called Ace House Collective, based in Yogyakarta. Concern in Indonesian popular culture through possibility collaborated with other community and brand in visual art work.
ALVARO NADDEO, ‘Reaganomics Killed America’s Middle Class’
Show Statement //
“This body of work is a visual narrative of the economic policies that have eroded the stability and prosperity of America’s middle class. All that’s left are the debris and detritus of a once thriving segment of society, now navigating an increasingly precarious existence.
The structures I depict are unstable, built from discarded materials. These elements symbolize the resourcefulness and tenacity of those struggling to adapt and survive.
Despite the dystopian themes, there is a whimsical absurdity in the juxtaposition of luxury brands with scenes of poverty and decay. This contrast highlights the absurdity of wealth inequality and the false promises of consumer culture. Promises of success and happiness are juxtaposed against the stark reality of societal decline.
In “Reaganomics Killed America’s Middle Class,” I invite viewers to engage in a visual dialogue about the consequences of economic policies and the resilience of those left in their wake. This series continues my exploration of waste, overconsumption, and social inequality, and I hope it prompts a deeper reflection on the realities of our society. As always, my work is a game of clues and connections, challenging viewers to piece together the narrative and uncover the underlying messages within the chaos.”
Artist Bio //
I am originally from São Paulo, Brazil and have also lived in Lima, New York City and currently in Los Angeles. These urban environments have shaped my memory and permeate most of my work. I am partly self-taught and partly homeschooled. My father is an illustrator, and as a kid I spent many hours drawing and watching him work. He was a constant source of inspiration and encouragement, but having an artist father also proved frustrating at times. At 17, I remember comparing my work to his and thinking my drawings and paintings were not good enough. I quit. I pursued a career in advertising as an Art Director, something that still allowed me to exercise my interest in art but without requiring mastery with the pencil or brush. 20 years later, while living in New York City and being exposed to its many contrasts, my desire to pick up the brushes intensified. Now I am back to painting and this time I’m not quitting.
The subject matter of my work is waste, overconsumption and social inequality. Trash and objects found in the street are valuable, and not only for aesthetic reasons. The brands, logos and packaging depicted in my work are objects with an inherent duality, both desirable and despicable, a clear byproduct of having worked in advertising for more than 20 years.
ZEINAB DIOMANDE (aka Z THE RAT),‘S.T.A.R. | Seeing Through Arbitrary Realms’
Born in 1999, in Virginia (USA) Zeinab Diomande (aka Z the Rat) left Abidjan (Ivory Coast), where she spent her childhood and adolescence, to pursue her university studies in Philadelphia (USA), where she recently graduated from the University of the Arts.
Zeimab explores the themes of mental health and her experiences as a black woman. These themes mark out and feed her warm and colorful world. Adapting what already exists and reinventing it in a way that also shapes a new reality is the main focus of this expression.
FL.OUR.POTS, ’Smoke and Mirrors’
Sebastian Montes-Schiff is a self-taught ceramics artist from Los Angeles who makes smokeable plant pots. His work revolves around building community and culture, sharing with all his dreams and imagination, his love of plants and the Earth, and his lived experiences.
