Collaborative paintings by Kim Martin & Karl Olsen in the upstairs gallery/studio of the venerable Plastic Club allowing the large scale unmounted paintings pride of place. Many visitors to the club remarked how the space looked so chic, like an atelier in Paris.
Kim & Karl worked together for eleven months to produce the fantastical installation of paintings; the first floor gallery is dedicated to works created by the artists as individuals with the room split right down the middle.
Al Gury said he liked this collabo the best because of the composition. Even though the distinct styles are visible, the two halves work together as a cohesive whole. The simple materials, limited palette, fast hand and apparent mind-meld produced this trippy drawing.
This painting was one of the duo’s latest collaborations with no restraint, no bumping elbows, no hard feelings even if one painted out the others favorite patch, it’s also one of the first collaborations they started.
Karl Olsen’s self portrait is reminiscent of Ralph Stedman, Hans Bellmer and Thomas Hart Benton’s prediliction to distortion, confusing perspectives and introspective investigation.
