MISSION CULTURAL CENTER - HEART

EOS WINE SALON - PROJECT ONE

07.13-14.10

(with assistance from RWM)

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Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts: TODAY; !Coco Mania! - Eduardo Gomez.

Artists: Carlos Castro Arias, Natalia Ancisco, James-David Mericle, Marlene Camacho, Carmen Winant, Justin Waugh, Catherine U-Thasoonthorn, David Pena, Veronica Rojas, Mik Gaspay, Crystal Gonzalez, Ariel Erestingol, Pete Hickok, Josh Band, Jack Fulton, Carlos Villa, Julio Cesar Morales, Michael Dodge, Mario Lemos, Peter Wu, Ron Saunders, Kottie Paloma, Albert Reyes, Matt Wardel, Kristi Lippire, Amy Jo, Emberly Modine, Jennifer Lo, Christopher Baird, Nancy Spoelhof, Heidi Anderson, Wanda Smans, Liz Miller, Benji Rowan, Ben Prince, Sunny Scarlett, Colin Manning, Sarah Baker, Rainen Knecht, Michele Pred, Nathan Burazer, Darren De Leon, Ricardo Rivera, Shalo P, Shemoel Recalde, Gustavo Herrera.

Review by RWM: Modern life captured in variety and with odd juxtapositions. The art does leave one wanting to think more deeply about what is presented. All sorts of messages and ideas make the experience of this exhibition somewhat convoluted and disjointed, but on the flip side, there's likely something here for everyone.

Comment by AB: According to the game plan, this exhibition surveys "emerging California artists of various disciplines. The goal of this exhibition is to take an audience through a visual and auditory journey addressing the state of contemporary life through art." In the side gallery, !Coco Mania! celebrates the life and career of fictional baseball player Coco Rodriguez-- the star that artist Eduardo Gomez always wanted to be when he was growing up.

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Heart: No Trace - Elisheva Biernoff and Elizabeth Cayne.

Review by RWM: Hard not to find an environmental message through the collage works on exhibit here, skewed though it may be. Yes, Nature can be defined to include everything, even or especially us, but we also do right by leaving some of it alone or by making or leaving no trace. Nature preservation can also be synonymous with protecting the wild, but that does not mean we need to argue or bemoan our exclusion, either artistically or intellectually. There is no shortage of park paths with trails for us. Giving up our desire to experience Nature's full wonder may be difficult, but at the same time, we must respect her vulnerable struggle for existence. As here displayed, that battle takes place in our psyches as well as in reality.

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Project One: The Chrysalis Den. Curated by Robert Ogden and Melanie Clarke.

Artists: Robert Ogden, Melanie Clarke, Matthew Dean, Stephanie Edmark, Xiang Gao, Matthew Hebermehl, Ty Bourne, Jonathan Ferran, Krescent Carasso, Kristin Needlefingers.

Comment by AB: Quoting from the proclamation, The Chrysalis Den embodies a "ritualistic display of life as seen through the eyes of love and loss, spirit and materials, darkness and hope."

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Eos Wine Salon and Restaurant: Art & Wine Salon - Shilo Ratner and Kelly Defayette.

Review by RWM: Bright color scheme and rich contrasts here. Abstraction expressed here with beautiful brilliance. The glossy paintings will leave you charged. Sorry, no images.

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