Carefree Memories of Youth Gone By (2008), Take Shelter from the Winter (2008)
For a dose of the cuddly and macabre, the newly opened Joshua Liner Gallery presents Seasons of Change, an exhibition of new work by the New York-born, San Francisco-based artist Jeremy Fish.
Fish creates a unique urban folklore replete with grinning skulls, body parts, and hat-wearing worms, all carefully depicted with a clean, voluptuous line. The artist pulls inspiration from a grab bag of folk and pop-culture sources, including Balinese fairy tales, Goth jewelry, children’s book illustration, tattoo and biker culture, Mexican muertos, tramp art and other craft traditions. Across all is an exaggerated depiction of innocence and its loss that tells a personal tale of physical and emotional transformation.
Through quirky symbolism, Fish builds a coded narrative that is both grim and gentle. The four seasons are evoked to represent the phases of life, as well as motivations and moods. Objects, animals, architecture, and the human body merge into dynamic hybrids. In works with hand-carved frames, for example, painted images of human hearts sprout wings, worms, personalized cityscapes, plumbing, and umbrellas, all superimposed on a silkscreened ribcage and ringed in carved skulls—it’s a “dance of death” viewed through the lens of Richard Scarry or Dr Seuss. The beautifully carved frames and sculpture were created in Indonesia from Fish’s designs by the Balinese artist Nyoman Sedayatana.
Reception Saturday, June 21st 6pm-9pm
Exhibit through July 26th
Joshua Liner Gallery
548 West 28th St, Suite 334
Manhattan
For more information visit JoshuaLinerGallery.com
To view some of Fish’s past work visit : www.superfishalsf.com
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