NEW SINCERITY: NY/MN
An exhibition of emerging New York and Minneapolis based artists
Margaret Coleman
Stephen Eakin
Heather Garland
Yasamin Keshtkar
Kevin Loecke
Lacey Prpic-Hedtke
Anna Marie Shogren
Bonnie Kaye Whitfield
In the last half century, irony has been a staple of the postmodern ethos. Examples are easy to find in the works of major artists
like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and arguably the most popular artist of recent times, Andy Warhol. A sense of sarcasm, façade, and
seeming (though often deceptive) lack of depth or connection to the hand-crafted is the way to create meaning for many of these artists
and their contemporaries. However, other artists work with a different kind of imagery, and have continued to make work that seeks a
sense of directness, and is after notions of truth. Often engaging honest and personal sensibilities, the post-ironic wants to imbue its
artwork with a new way of sincerity, and an idea of meaning that reflects concerns with how our rapidly changing cultural landscape is
affecting each of us individually.
The artists in this traveling exhibition come from different backgrounds and work in an array of mediums. While the work may
appear varied, a new sincerity, or post-ironic perspective is evident in each artist’s approach, and is the common thread in the curating of
this exhibition. Some of these artists choose to reject postmodernism and irony completely, striving toward work that is simply earnest
and sincere, while others work their way through irony to find themselves in a new type of sincerity. For example, the work of Kevin
Loecke and Stephen Eakin directly reflects their personal stories and outlooks, utilizing a high sensitivity to aesthetics and craft, with a
highly personal sensibility in their content. Heather Garland and Yasamin Keshtkar take a slightly different but nonetheless personal
approach, routing their childhood and upbringing through the lens of painting’s recent history in search of an intimate connection with the
viewer.
The artists in this show have decided to embark on an extended experiment; to remain in conversation with one another while
their work tours galleries around the U.S. over the next year. While the show will always feature the same eight artists, it can change, art
pieces can be replaced, openings can become performances or remain static according to venue and location, but the work will revolve
around the idea of sincerity in the art world. Artists from the show will act as liaisons for the entire group in many cases, and will
cooperate with traditional galleries as well as less traditional venues.
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