Kan and Gris1 opened their 2 person exhibition “Humanity” at Atelier de Bains Gallery in Geneve. As the title suggests “Humanity” was a focal point of the concept behind the new body of work. Kan’s pointillist works are created by dabbing markers thousands of times on the canvas creating a pixelated interpretation of scenes of protest and unrest. These images broken into pieces in the same way we watch images on TV or online simulate the transmission of media and our voyeur nature when witnessing the violence in todays world. Kan brings a tangible and physical interpretation of this in his paintings allowing the viewer to slow down time focusing their attention on a single image and moment. This slowing down of the violence brings forth what we sometimes miss in a streaming video, the humanity of those involved in protest and violence.
Gris1 approaches the concept from another angle utilizing colorful palettes that emulate his background as a graffiti artist and taking images of violence such as the AK47. He has taken this violent symbol of one of todays most utilized weapons the AK47 and Humanized it with colorful palettes and collaging its powerful symbolic elements with symbols of art and playfulness. This series emerged earlier this year when France was faced with a moment of terror in the Charlie Hebdo Attacks in Paris. Gris1 took this moment to use his talents as an artist to comment and support those involved by his works of art. Humanity furthers this discussion and the AK47 that was used in the attacks remains a key component in the new work. All around what might look like another great Urban art exhibition is actually much deeper and involves some of the best political art made this year from todays rising contemporaries Kan and GRIS1. This is a must see.
GF
Atelier des Bains gallery in Geneve will be opening two men show featuring Kan and Gris1 from Da Mental Vaporz crew. “Humanity” will include 5 new paintings of each of the artist, one collaborative piece as well as a piece painted on the wall of the gallery.
The theme of this body of work created exclusively for the show are human values and the ways everyday exposure to violence is influencing them. Through their distinctive style, French artists are depicting their vision of this phenomenon. Using fat markers Kan is dotting images taken from news channels, stripping them off details and creating pixelated screen shots of mainstream media imagery. Gris1 on another hand is combining different symbols, visual languages, mediums and techniques from urban and popular art, creating collages that form emotive images about the subject. The idea of exhibition is to invite the viewer to question the issue of violence that shapes up our humanity.
kandmv.com
gris1stuff.tumblr.com
atelierdesbains.com
The exhibition takes place from May 28th to July 14th 2015.
Atelier des bains
Rue des bains 22,
1205 Geneve
Switzerland
