Dan Grayber isolates machinery from its usual role of fulfilling human needs through placing it in an eternal mode of self-perpetuation. His safety-orange powder coated objects endlessly assure their survival through completing the simple and essential task of holding oneself up. These sculptures, which create problems as they solve them, exude a sovereign elegance, the dignity of not having to justify themselves to an outside source.
Alex Case uses asphalt as a medium in his mountainscapes, channeling the crude radiance of the oil refineries of his hometown and exploring the difference between exploiting a material and giving it life. The mix of untouched natural form and artificial asphalt speaks to the conglomerate landscape of the modern age. The lack of a human subject in both artists’ work allows for the emergence of an ethic by machines for machines, as well as an inherently formidable aesthetic.
Show runs January 20- March 5, 2011
Opening Reception: February 4, 2011; 5-8pm
Johansson Projects is a contemporary art gallery that functions as a curatorial laboratory, creating exhibitions that pair established and internationally-recognized artists with up-and-coming locals. Its unique architecture allows for innovative exhibitions, prompting viewers to actively engage with artists who explore the delicate mysteries embedded in modernity often using unorthodox materials and methods. Johansson Projects was voted best gallery in 2008 and 2009 and is a locus for curators, collectors, and artists to connect and engage in dialogue with the larger art community both regionally and nationally.
Johansson Projects
2300 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland,CA 94612
510-444-9140
