Brooke Jana, Pussy Hat

RESIST

Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

12th Annual Community Juried Show

In a way, RESIST, our 12th Annual Community Juried Show OPENING THIS THURSDAY, is a sequel — perhaps an unfortunate one — to last summer’s HOW WOULD YOU SAVE THE WORLD? We do need some saving. Right now.

Chloe Pinero, Pose

But rather than offer ideas for evolution, the 34 artists of RESIST — 16 of them brand-new to our space — are often more closely attuned to the frequency of revolution. They tap into this energy and harness it to power their creativity.

Chloe Pinero, Titi’s House

The results just as easily can be ad hominems or odes to courage:

* We see the many faces of the demagogue who needs exposing (not exposure), painted in a JIM BIGLAN lampoon, spliced together in an ALYSE C. BERNSTEIN collage, made into the stuff of children by LANCE PAWLING and JOSH TODD, as well as…
* The heroes of the Resistence, from WOODLEY WHITE‘s recognizable leaders and CHLOÉ PIÑERO‘s resolute fighters to ALONZO TROY HUMPHREY‘s haunting figures and BOB GORCHOV‘s ultimately triumphant angel.

Chris Vecchio, RESIST #2
But if RESIST were composed merely of perceived good and evil, our show, shackled to this dichotomy, would fail to aspire or inspire. Instead our jury uncovered greater depths.
* DAVID R. EVANSON adds four images from his compelling “Strange Fruit” series, which shows racial injustice and resistance in a visual language of his own invention.
* BROOKE JANA makes words one of her media, inviting you to spend time inside her intricate constructions.
* Look up to take in HEATHER RAQUEL PHILLIPS and CHIARA NO‘s hangable book, which predicts a banner day for empowerment.
* MONK E BURNSWELL dominates the 3D case with a measure of last resort that channels both Duchamp and Cornell.

David R. Evanson, Incarceration

So can RESIST mean something apolitical? Sure it can. It always has. To wit:
* ELIZABETH H. “BETTY” MACDONALD‘s cockroachs, the never-say-die warriors from the insect world,
* NOA TRAVALIA‘s tangled web of foods we love…though we know we really shouldn’t, and,
* CHRIS VECCHIO‘s carved “ohmage,” which returns resistance to its electrical origins.

David R. Evanson, Selma

And we’re not halfway through our show. So even after you experience these works in person, you will have plenty more to discover firsthand.

Brooke Jana, BANFIRE

And if you choose to purchase art, you will be doing more than speaking out. You will be speaking up for members of our community. 20% OF ALL SALES benefit two urgently needed nonprofit organizations in our own backyard: the WOMEN’S MEDICAL FUND (womensmedicalfund.org) and SUNDAY BREAKFAST RESCUE MISSION (sundaybreakfast.org).

Lance Pawling, All the King’s Horses