Skin Trade opens at Go North on June 2

Genesis 10, 2007 acrylic, oil on paper

My exhibit of new small works will be opening in two weeks at Go North, at 469 Main St. in Beacon, NY. The exhibit will consist of around thirty small oil works on paper.
Born out of some responses to work that I've been doing examining the nature of "skin," or that which takes up the role of skin .....I began painting on pages from adult magazines. Grafting the skin of a paint film over the exposed skin in the magazine photos, I began finding rather beautiful compositional elements within the images. I found a type of layout particularly intriguing. This layout entailed two images, often of the same size arranged vertically with a small margin between the images and to one side. The margin on the other side is wider, and holds a narrative text relating to the images. After obscuring the photographs, creating new images that often take the form of abstract landscapes, the presence of the text took on a hightened sense of farcity. Divorced from the images it originally served to describe, the text now serves as a piece of pointed absurd poetry. The resulting pairing of text and image provides a serving of crass literature that imposes itself in one's thoughts along with a non objective plane of contemplation suitable for cleansing the mind.

So are you contemplating the beauty of the image inspite of the words you've just read, or are you searching the abstract image for clues to illustrate the prose, or does that swatch of color give space for you to reflect on the words, unfettered by someone else's version of the visual.

Here's the press release for the show:

For Immediate
Release:
Christopher Albert: Skin Trade
June
2nd – July 1st, 2007
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 2ndth, 6 –
9pm.

GO NORTH is pleased to present the opening of
Christopher Albert’s exhibition “Skin Trade”. The work will be on exhibit from
June 2nd through July 1st, 2007. A reception for the artist will be held on
Saturday, June 2nd, from 6 - 9 pm.
Christopher Albert’s new paintings
use images from pornographic magazines as the underlying structure for the
formal elements of his paintings. Painting on top of the images, he transforms
the graphic sexual images into a sensual blend of colors, forms textures, and
lines. Leaving behind small traces of the original source material and the text
associated with the sexual act. Literally and metaphorically “trading” the
visual pleasures associated with porn for the visual gratifications of painting.

Founded in September of 2006 by artists Gregory Slick and Karlos
Cárcamo, Go North’s mission is to support, exhibit, and promote art by local,
national, and international artists. Our focus is contemporary art that is
dedicated to exploring cutting edge cultural and artistic issues by pushing the
boundaries of traditional media. Staging monthly exhibitions on a rotating basis
gives artists the opportunity to expand and explore new dimensions in their
work. Enabling us to keep our exhibitions fresh and updated, while providing a
place in the Hudson Valley for contemplation, dialog and exchange of ideas.

GO NORTH - A Space for Contemporary Art
469 Main St., Beacon,
NY 12508
gonorthgallery@hotmail.com
www.gonorthgallery.blogspot.com
Gallery hours: 12 - 6
pm, Friday - Sunday