Contemporary Renaissance

Art Exhibition

Location: Patrick Jones Gallery

Contemporary Renaissance - at The Patrick Jones Gallery

For our return to exhibition season this fall, words cannot describe how excited we are to usher in a new era for the gallery. Contemporary Renaissance, a transformative show that marks a shift in the gallery’s artistic focus. Running from October 17th to November 30th, 2024, Contemporary Renaissance signifies the rebirth of the gallery in terms of its style of art shown, embracing the ultra-contemporary art scene with a fresh perspective and a new lineup of boundary-pushing artists. Featured in this exhibition are Frank Lepkowski, Miro Hoffmann, Amy Shackleton, Daniel Freaker, RASTER, J. Antonio Farfan, Latoya Jones, J Mateo Cabrera, Kevin De Lao, and Edward Lightner.

About the Exhibition:

In the spirit of the Renaissance—historically a time of cultural awakening and artistic evolution—Contemporary Renaissance represents a pivotal moment for the Gallery. It’s a celebration of renewal and innovation, reflecting the gallery’s shift toward ultra-contemporary art, where emerging styles and fresh ideas take center stage. This exhibition showcases artists who challenge conventions, experiment with mediums, and explore themes that resonate with today’s world. Just as the Renaissance was a rebirth for art, science, and culture, this exhibition embodies a new beginning for the gallery, symbolizing its commitment to leading in the evolving contemporary art movement.

Featured Artists:

• Frank Lepkowski: Known for his maximalist, multi-layered compositions that reflect the noise and stimuli of the digital age, Lepkowski explores the role of modern technology in society, both in his subject matter and his artistic process. He builds software and web applications that rely on human touch as the primary form of interaction. Intertwining these digital tools and analog techniques, he creates. 

• Miro Hoffmann: Hoffmann’s work looks to the history of landscape painting, while grounded in larger issues around climate change, resilience, breaking racial, social, economic boundaries, food apartheid, and self-sustainability. He draws from personal experiences as well as historical references that thread together painting, light, film, architecture, and sculpture.

• Amy Shackleton: Her style merges contemporary drip painting with imaginative realism, creating organic natural forms alongside precise architectural lines. Initially using bright colors to express optimism, her palette has evolved to reflect alarm about the planet's future. Through depictions of environmental devastation and hope, she aims to inspire action towards a more sustainable coexistence between humanity and nature.

• Daniel Freaker: Central to Freaker’s works is a sense of tension created through the juxtaposition of colors, processes, marks and subject matter. The interaction of oppositional elements such as architectural and organic, past and future, chaos and order, dynamic and restrained, vibrance and darkness, accident and intention, order and chaos, is what makes the work memorable.

• RASTER: Raster is an American, multidisciplinary artist, with a deep focus on contemporary pop art sculptures and paintings. He manifests a rich palette of mixed nostalgia that cuts across identities and generations. His art has been influenced at a young age by his enjoyment of pop culture, skateboarding, online gaming and street art.

• J. Antonio Farfan: Inspired by Frankenthaller, there’s an intentional effort at attracting the viewer into contemplation and further investigation of light and  dark and even the question of perception. The artist’s vocabulary is heavily influenced by medieval  philosophy and surrealism with a strong link to metaphysical concerns and measurable reality which include man made concepts and machines.

• Latoya Jones: LaToya's work and the very process of how she creates her stunning pieces of artwork illustrate and bare witness of art imitating life.  Beginning with a wooden canvas, to the use of naturally timeworn and singed papers, accented with diamonds, emeralds, amethyst and many other precious stones and minerals; each brings a sense of cultivation to her designs. According to LaToya the layers upon layers in her artwork are symbolic and represent a diverse variety of humanity's search for an ultimate purpose.

• J Mateo Cabrera: He does not want his paintings to be understood, as concepts, theories or proclamations and manifestos are understood. He believes in art as a mystical tool, which through the senses is capable of bringing us to a moment of contemplative bliss. He believes in the wonder that a work of art awakens.

• Kevin De Lao: The painting of Kevin de Lao focuses on psychological and psychiatric issues, as well as tells us about the absence from everyday life. Much of his work from 2018 to now belongs to private collections (nationally and internationally). Currently he dedicates himself entirely to painting. Kevin lives and works in Lima.

• Edward Lightner: Edward's artistic philosophy is ever evolving over time, remaining socially and politically relevant, while recognizing the dual capacity of his work to also embrace the aesthetics of beauty, pattern, and decoration. To this end, in recent years he has directed his creative energy towards crafting numerous kaleidoscopic patterns, with all of these patterns being derived from satellite photographs of underground atomic testing sites in the United States.

Experience the Exhibition:

Contemporary Renaissance marks a new chapter in the gallery’s history, with a focus on ultra-contemporary art that speaks to the moment we live in. The exhibition embodies the gallery’s commitment to embracing innovation and providing a platform for cutting-edge artists whose work pushes the boundaries of traditional mediums. As the gallery evolves, it seeks to foster a deeper connection with audiences and nurture it through works that reflect the complexities of life, from social, to political, to internal conflict.

Join Us:

Celebrate the start of a new era in contemporary art. Visit our gallery to see these beautiful works in person.

For more information, please visit https://www.patrickjones.gallery/events or contact hutton@patrickjones.gallery.

About Patrick Jones Gallery:

Patrick Jones Gallery is known for its commitment to fostering artistic talent and pushing the boundaries of contemporary expression. With Contemporary Renaissance, the gallery embraces a new era, offering a platform for emerging artists whose work defines the future of contemporary art.