By Alex Yanes
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original sculpture collaboration by artists Dennis McNett (also known as Wolfbat) and Alex Yanes from their "Good Medicine" exhibition at Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philadelphia, PA, USA. This sculpture series marks the first time the two artists have ever worked collaboratively.
PRESS RELEASE // Paradigm Gallery is pleased to present "Good Medicine", an exhibition featuring sculptural works in wood by Dennis McNett and Alex Yanes. New individual works by the artists will be displayed alongside pieces that have been created collaboratively between their studios. The show considers the concept of positive energy and how moods, situations, or experiences can be shaped by the presence of a strong force for good, while focusing broadly on the many ways that spirituality is practiced and explored in contemporary culture. Symbols, totems, and signs in a range of sizes are hand-carved and crafted from wood, resin, and acrylic to manifest the uplifting theme behind the works in three dimensions. "Good Medicine" will be on view through July 21, 2018.
Both artists have practices that revolve around ideas of tradition, personal and communal narratives, nostalgia, and heritage. They express these themes in a blended style of neo-pop and folk art, drawing on their proximity to the subculture of skateboarding. With bold graphic elements and intricate detailing, the wooden sculptures, carvings, and installations portray a deeply personal and self-reflexive approach to art-making and craft, inviting the viewer to contemplate one’s quest for self-actualization through the assemblages.
Dennis McNett is known for his large-scale woodcut sculptures that fuse relief printmaking with traditional wood carving. Steeped in domestic and international mythologies, McNett often receives the seeds of concepts for pieces through meditation and his spiritual practice that he then renders in his wood carvings, wood-cut panels, and prints. Over 15 works will be on display in "Good Medicine"– including "Big Mary’s Resurrection", an example of McNett’s dedication to clearing areas of bad energy left behind by past events. Also on view will be a new Owl Spirit sculpture series and collaged panels. His birds of prey and Norse images exist in high-contrast, with alternating deep and shallow black marks that delineate swaths of colored or natural wood surfaces.
Alex Yanes constructs his surreal layered, textural sculptures from wood, epoxy resin, acrylic and spray enamel. The combination of materials gives his work a subtle gloss, with clean colors and polish. All Yanes’s 7 works in "Good Medicine", including a large wall installation, are brand new and showcase his signature pop graphics. The postmodern mashups reference funhouse aesthetics, with a nod to comics, cartoons, and vintage typography...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Paper Sculptures
MaterialsWood, Paper, Spray Paint
