The Gallery at the Afro American Cultural Center at Yale 211 Park Street New Haven, CT 06515 203-432-4131
http://afam.yale.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Bob Albert
[email protected] 203-952-9778 Press images available upon request
Gordon Skinner Hard Works at Yale
October 13 - November 14, 2012 Opening Reception October 13th 4-7pm Artist Talk: November 14th 7-9pm New Haven, CT - Due to the success and intrigue garnered from artist Gordon Skinners solo exhibition of Hard Works, Dean at Yale University Dr. Rodney Cohen has showed interest to bring the exhibition to Yale University at the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale where he serves as director. Hard Works at Yale comes off the heels of being on view at the Da Silva Gallery in the New Haven artists community known as Westville. Original paintings included in the exhibition are Zulu of Gohar, Self Portrait at 35, Jesus Piece - Self Portrait at 27 in addition to roughly twenty others. On opening reception night, attendees are given an ID Badge at the door embossed with Skinners Jesus Piece - Self Portrait at 27 painting as if clocking in to work. Playing off of the concept of the Hard Works title, which is a double entendre or play on words. The exhibition is also a part of an inititiave by the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale to bring feature more visual artists in their gallery for Yale students, visitors and the greater New Haven area to attend. The Cultural Center has had visitors ranging from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Danny Glover, Spike Lee, Nikki Giovanni, August Wilson, Aaron McGruder and Bobby Seale amongst others. Artist Gordon Skinner aptly describes his artwork as Integrity Art - Art that is real, honest, and promotes creative consistency. The title, a double entendre of sorts, describes Skinners collection of paintings comprised primarily of organic portraits that are given expression through the use of bold color, spontaneous brushwork, and a world of hard-edged personal history. In the mask-like visages that Skinner paints, lie revelations that are both personal and universal. Theyre reflections that confront some of the hard realities and pressing issues that exist all around us - but do not always press us to action. As an artist, Skinners work is also reminiscent of a tradition and movement known as Blues Impulse. This tradition follows a long list of artists of various mediums who have transformed their extenuating circumstances and hardships into extraordinary levels of visual content and artistic expression. This tradition is also highlighted in the personal expression of people who overcome adversity and express their stories through the oral tradition and the resilience in which they live their lives.
Hard Works also touches on the work ethic required of the artist in creating a body of quality work, which in Skinners case, means working three jobs while simultaneously carving out time to paint. The result is not only an honest expression of an artist painting the world as he sees it, but also, by example encouraging others to work hard in pursuit of their lifes passions. In 2012 alone, Skinner has managed to generate the attention of the press surrounding his art. Having been featured as a guest on television programs CT Style and Better CT, featured articles by Hearst Publication and The New Haven Independent, having his work featured in The New York Times as well as being the subject of a final thesis paper for a Yale student. Skinners work has been exhibited in contemporary art galleries in CT as well as NYCs international annual Outsider Art Fair in Times Square. In addition to being the subject of a documentary by Take Notice Productions about his art, his paintings were also featured in a magazine photo shoot with celebrity fashion designers Coco and Breezy. At the exhibition, viewers can expect to see paintings in a variety of mediums, on both canvas and wood. Debuting in this show, will be an introduction of a several family members in a series Skinner calls The Gohar Tribe. The series is a fictionalized family of individual portraits that are similar in aesthetic. The characters are all unique in their own right and display their own personal freedom of expression in their individuality. An artist talk will take place with Gordon Skinner speaking on his artwork at the Afro American Cultural Center at Yale on November 14th from 7-9pm. The artist talk will be moderated by artists and current Yale MFA students Mario Moore and Wesley Chavez. The artist talk, which will screen the short documentary on Skinner prior to the talk, is open to the public to attend.
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