April 16 - May 17, 2019
Genarcha : Andrew Ooi
(main gallery)
Public Reception: Saturday, April 27th, 5-8 pm
From April 16th to May 17th 2019, paper-based artist, Andrew Ooi, returns to his Pittsburgh representation, BoxHeart, with his most sculptural exhibition to date, Genarcha.
Conceived on the 80th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica,” Andrew Ooi: Genarcha reflects upon what new order hope, reconciliation, and art look like during pressing times much like the life of the iconic painting. Consisting of two-thirds sculpture – organized by BoxHeart Gallery owners, Nicole Capozzi and Joshua Hogan – Genarcha demonstrates Ooi’s expanding artistic development as he raises some questions for viewers to consider:
- In today’s society, can a personal response to a current event still have a universal expression? If so, is it a symbol of rebellion or truth? Co-opted as the voice of the polemic or the people?
- What about chaos. Does it (still) reduce humanity to its barest parts? Treat everyone and everything as objects? Suck the color out of life itself? Determine evolution, revolution, or both?
By regarding Pablo Picasso as the family head, or genercha, of 20th century art, Ooi undertakes such inquiry and more through a masterful interpretation of Cubism and application of pattern in his signature style. From traditionally-made Japanese gampi papers, Ooi individually cuts, creases, paints, folds, and fits hundreds to thousands of pieces together by hand to form the geometric structures and compositions to his artworks. For Genarcha, interior and exterior space (physical and emotional), rebuilding after destruction, color as a sign of life and abstraction as a way to perceive reality, are some of the themes which transform “Guernica’s” panorama to dioramic - double-sided and in three-dimension – across the gallery space. Patterns suggest the pieces of torn wallpaper Picasso had originally placed on his masterpiece before deciding it should remain a painting rather than papier collé. Sculptures not to be missed include “Equal” (2016), “Chair 2” (2016), “True Reflection” (2017) and “Daemon” (2017), embodying many of the treatments around the exhibition.
Ooi is a Canadian visual artist transposing painting with sculpture to discover novel approaches toward perspective, art, craft, and his favorite medium, paper. Self-taught in Japanese joinery and origami, he began his career in the interior design community where his light works quickly received international attention. From his successive publication in 1,000 Product Designs: Form, Function, and Technology from Around the World (Rockport Publishers) and Illuminate: Contemporary Craft Lighting (Bloomsbury Publishing), Ooi was inspired to pursue the pure arts in a direction never before realized. This led Ooi to invent his pieced-paintings technique, singular to him. Today, Ooi’s work enjoys recognition in various press (Pittsburgh City Paper, 2016), grants (Ontario Arts Council), exhibitions (Anatomy of Resilience, Karsh-Masson Gallery, 2017), fairs (Aqua Art Miami) and collections (Global Affairs Canada). Genarcha is his second solo exhibit for BoxHeart Gallery, Pittsburgh PA.
Reception with the Artists
Andrew Ooi: Genarcha will be on exhibit from April 16th through May 17th in BoxHeart’s main gallery. The exhibition coincides with our 2nd-floor gallery exhibit John Belue: Prized Possession. The reception with the artists will be held Saturday, April 27th, from 5 - 8 pm.
April 16 - May 17, 2019
Prized Possession : John Belue
(2nd-floor gallery)
Public Reception: Saturday, April 27th, 5-8 pm
From April 16th to May 17th, BoxHeart is proud to present John Belue: Prized Possession on exhibit in our 2nd-floor gallery. Organized by Nicole Capozzi and Joshua Hogan, owners of BoxHeart, Prized Possession questions the validity of photography as a means of documentation.
John Belue: Prized Possession explores the impermanence and evolution of time by re-contextualizing objects that are meant to document the past. By using photographs acquired by others, Belue questions the ability to preserve information through photography as well as an images authenticity once it is taken out of its original context. When a person views an image, they abstract the image by projecting their own past or feelings onto it. By abstracting and collaging vintage, found photographs, Belue creates a physical representation of the viewer’s experience.
Belue is originally from Ravenswood West Virginia and now resides in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where he received his BFA in photography from Point Park University.
Reception with the Artists
John Belue: prized Possession will be on exhibit from April 16th through May 17th in BoxHeart’s 2nd-floor gallery. The exhibition coincides with our main gallery exhibit Andrew Ooi: Genarcha. The reception with the artists will be held Saturday, April 27th, from 5 - 8 pm.