MAY 1 – 31 | Everybody Needs a Hero!
Exhibition Info | Exhibition Images
Works by: Martin DiGirolamo, Chris Dorosz, Cheryl Kelley, Simon Monk, Peter and Madeline Powell, Valentin Popov, Mel Ramos and Suzy Smith.
Scott Richards Contemporary Art presents EVERYBODY NEEDS A HERO!, a group exhibition that takes a lighthearted look at superheroes and comic books. An opening cocktail reception will take place on Thursday, May 1, 5:30-7:30 pm. The exhibition continues through May 31.
Comic book heroes have colored our collective consciousness for decades. In the 1960s, artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol recognized their value as American archetypes and incorporated the imagery into their Pop artworks. Pop has always straddled the line between serious commentary and good clean fun; the new generation of artists in this exhibition, well versed in Pop Art, lean distinctly toward the latter.
The bar is set high with a classic 1962 portrait of Captain Midnight by one of the masters of Pop, Mel Ramos. Other artists include Sharon Moody, exhibiting one of her signature trompe l’oeil comic book paintings, and Peter and Madeline Powell, who utilize iconic consumer imagery in their paintings of superhero-lunchboxes. Martin DiGirolamo and Cheryl Kelley have both created works especially for the show: DiGirolamo presents a strong and sexy Wonder Woman sculpture, and Kelley, known for painting glossy muscle cars, gives us the most macho car of them all: the Batmobile.
Several of the artists in the show explore the mundane side of a superhero’s life. Suzy Smith’s Wonder Woman has stopped on her way to work for a cup of Starbucks coffee; Chris Dorosz presents a number of Superboy hopefuls waiting in line for an audition; Simon Monk paints superheroes as mini action toys encased in plastic; and Valentin Popov’s heroes are reborn as orthodox religious icons.
Works by: Martin DiGriolamo, Chris Dorosz, Cheryl Kelley, Simon Monk, Sharon Moody, Valentin Popov, Peter & Madeline Powell, Mel Ramos, and Suzy Smith.