MICHAEL BEVILACQUA: CORROSIONS OF CONFORMITY @ Gering and Lopez Gallery

GERING & LóPEZ GALLERY is pleased to present Corrosions of Conformity, a solo exhibition of work by New York-based artist Michael Bevilacqua. Bevilacqua's new paintings and works on paper command the viewer's attention with their robust palette and reflective content. In both process and concept, Bevilacqua has moved away from the crisp, graphic style that dominated his earlier work towards a more gestural and raw appearance. The resultant pieces are multilayered, consisting of a combination of different painting techniques including free-hand brushstrokes, collage, masking and stenciling.

Working towards a heightened sense of abstraction, Bevilacqua engages his audience in a dialogue by continuing to use cultural icons from children's fairytales, alternative music, and art history. In the Pop art tradition, Bevilacqua comes to terms with our times by juxtaposing images associated with these various cultural currents. Like the digital media that has come to define modern communication, these paintings and drawings defy a linear reading, engaging their audience on many levels. By creating multi-dimensional compositions, Bevilacqua allows the viewer several avenues of entry into his work. Through this practice, Bevilacqua creates art that defies easy categorization while targeting the ever-shifting fashions of society's conventions. This exhibition alludes to Bevilacqua's practice of recycling materials he has used or images he has seen, as key motifs frequently resurface throughout his work. The same icon takes on new meaning in different settings, corroding the original message.

JANUARY 8 - FEBRUARY 21, 2009

Gering & López Gallery
730 Fifth Avenue
Between 56th and 57th Streets
New York, NY 10019
www.geringlopez.com