Dax Gallery opens ‘Body of the Palace’ art exhibit
On Saturday, Sept. 27, Dax Gallery opened an exhibit entitled “Body of the Palace.” Located in Costa Mesa, California, the exhibit was for the alumni of the California Institute of the Arts and featured twelve different artists.
The aesthetics of the gallery were a culmination of each artist “picking their own spots” remarked, Andrew Martinez, who curated the exhibit. The soft spot lighting was nothing short of perfect. Each artist showcased his or her piece with the ease that was proof of Martinez’ hard work alumnus.
Jin Kyu Ahn, one of the artists featured in the exhibit, stood by his art proudly. Ahn’s work hung on three separate walls. Each piece was black and white; the creative process for Ahn was very technical and personal. He used black ink to stamp each piece, and he explained in his written biography how he would routinely come home after work each day to work on his art.
“Each piece is different because no one knows what I was feeling or going through at that moment,” the South Korean artist said.
His current collection, entitled “Contained,” documented latitude, longitude and temperature, both indoors and out, at the time each piece was created. He approached this method with his own creative perspective and used ink from India to stamp before printing each piece. “My English is not the best,” he briefed visitors. So he printed out a page of his own writing to explain his art clearly. When asked if his photograph could be taken, Ahn smiled and said, “It would be an honor.”
The atmosphere in the gallery was busy with people, most of whom were relishing in the local art scene.
Jesse Rickerson a guest from Newport Beach, California said, “This piece I like because it has a lot of emotion in it. I like everything here,” as she stared at a piece called “Dance” by Linda Dorn.
Samir Arghandiwall was among the artists. He obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film/Character animation and is an alumnus of the CalArts. He displayed his collection, entitled “Portraits,” where faces of different women were hung on a few different wall spaces. He chose women for these portraits to enforce the meaning behind his motive, “Each woman you see, I know and have asked [them] if I could paint them. There is that appeal about the expressions that I enjoy, and there is something about women you know being relatable.’’
Having a background in graffiti art, he mixed the medium of spray paint in his larger pieces. He has a very unique approach to his portraits and possesses a congruent voice that threads in and out of each piece.
At the close of the evening’s event, the entire group gathered for a photograph. Some artists were not able to attend. The camaraderie among the alumni was palpable, and that joy concluded the evening, leaving a most enthusiastic impression on everyone.
For more information and upcoming events, visit: www.daxgallery.com.