SOLO EXHIBITION "BRUISED THUMBS" FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1, 2012 Opening Thursday, FEBRUARY 23, 2012, from 7 to 9 pm FRONTRUNNER GALLERY HOLDS THE FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION OF ARTWORK BY ANDRE WOOLERY FEATURING PIECES CREATED WITH OVER 50,000 THUMBTACKS I love color. I love expressions of creativity. I love black culture. I love hip-hop. I love cool shit. Each of these pieces is a culmination of what resonates with me and each work is expressed in a way that speaks to my generation. Every push of a thumbtack started as a beat within my heart, driving my body towards a rhythm of creation. -Andre Woolery Frontrunner Gallery is pleased to present "Bruised Thumbs" by Andre Woolery. http://andrewooleryart.com The exhibition opens at New York's Frontrunner Gallery on February 23, 2012 with most of the artwork available for sale. Included in the exhibition are paintings from Woolery's first collection of portraits made exclusively from thumbtacks titled '2011 Mixtape.' Collectively the pieces feature more than 50,000 thumbtacks that create an ensemble of iconic imagery on canvases ranging in size from 24"x48" to 108"x48". Each piece is a unique take on the employment of colorful thumbtacks as art media, conveying messages of respect, inspiration and pride. Works will include portraits of Jay-Z, Kanye West, Muhammad Ali, Erykah Badu, Benjamin Banneker, Jimi Hendrix, and President Barack Obama.
The show predominantly features portraiture of black icons that the artist created over the past three years. By focusing on black icons as his main subject, Woolery aims to explore the representation of "black" in the contemporary world. "History has projected negativity and forced stereotypes onto the black race," said Woolery. "Out of that rubble, I wanted to create powerful images that place the black experience in a vibrant, triumphant and beautiful manner." Woolery, originally from New Jersey, graduated from Duke University in 2003 where he studied computer science. He is a self-taught artist and began painting in 2009 at his home studio in Harlem. His street art can be found at various locations in Harlem, NY and St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica. His works have been shown previously at the NY Group Show in Brooklyn, NY. This is his first solo exhibition. |
