Getting To Know Someone: 80's Babies

2009

Getting To Know Someone: 80’s BabiesOct 8th - Nov 8th

Leo Kesting Gallery

Free Admission/Open to the Public

A, C, E & L train to 8th Ave 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street 917- 650 - 3760 / 917- 292 - 8865 http://www.leokesting.com

812 Washington St (corner of Gansevoort St) New York 10014

Leo Kesting Gallery opening hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11am until 7pm Sunday & Monday 1pm - 6pm

From its origins as Capla Kesting Fine Art in Brooklyn, the Leo Kesting Gallery launched in 2003 and developed an aggressive campaign

to introduce new figurative artists to collectors and art supporters. Leo Kesting offers the art

viewing public an opportunity to see forthcoming talents in an intimate setting where undiscovered,

cutting-edge artists are presented to the contemporary art scene.

Info

Getting To Know Someone: 80’s BabiesOct 8th - Nov 8th

Leo Kesting Gallery Presents

Jason Douglas Griffin’s sophomore solo exhibit “Getting to Know Someone : 80’s Babies” opens to the public with a reception for the artist at Leo Kesting Gallery on Thursday, October 8th from 7:00 until 10:00 pm.

The raging 80’s- a time of sex, white lines and financial excess, gave way to a generation of twentysomethings worlds away from their baby boomer parents. With a title seemingly cribbed from a John Hughes’ film, “Getting to Know Someone: 80’s Babies” explores the intersection of self and city in a generation freshly bereft of their cultural icons- John Hughes, Michael Jackson and Patrick Swayze.

80’s Babies continues Jason’s dialog with the 1980’s generation. “These works are elaborate profiles of the subject and the city in which they live,” states gallerist David Kesting, “With the incorporation of found materials, Griffin’s paintings capture the relationship between the city, the viewer and his subjects.”

This installation-heavy exhibition, a collection of figurative paintings and illustrations with strong influence from photography methods, marks the second solo endeavor by Griffin. “For me it represents a passion for people, collaborating with them to discover their story,“ Jason explains about his work. “In this collection I am trying to discover the sitter’s narrative, the life they lead and where they lead it. It’s much more personal than any portrait.”

Personal narratives are a recurring theme in Griffin’s work. His recently celebrated book release “My Name is Jason : Mine Too” combines Griffin’s work with poet Jason Reynolds’ words, document-ing their creative coming of age in New York City. The monograph released through HarperCollins publishing, has received critical acclaim and has sold several thousand copies with write ups in the Washington Post and numerous other publications.

Jason Douglas Griffin

2009

Opening Night Reception with Artist:Thurs Oct 8th, 7pm - 10pm

1

For me it represents a passion for people, collaborating with them to discover their story“ “

2

Brooklyn Dreams, Mixed Media, 10” x 16”

Away From It All, Mixed Media/Found Object, 32” x 7” x 61”

Gone, Mixed Media/Wood, 13” x 22”

Another Side of Myself, Mixed Media, 14” x 24”

3

Away From It All, Mixed Media/Found Object, 32” x 7” x 61”

4

5

Connecting To The Internet, Mixed Media/Wood, 12” x 20”Man Horse with Glass of Wine, Mixed Media/Wood, 11” x 16”

Diagram Of The Supreme Ultimate, Mixed Media, 46” x 81”

Remember Who, Mixed Media/Wood, 18” x 28”

6

Stop, Mixed Media, 10” x 8”

We Have An Understanding, Mixed Media, 26” x 62”Before, Mixed Media/Wood, 8” x 22”

7

8

9

Underneath, Mixed Media/Found Object, 36” x 4” x 44”

Don’t Look, Mixed Media/Found Object, 10” x 14”

Thought Blossoms, Mixed Media/Wood, 30” x 71”

10

1111

Free Bird, Mixed Media/Found Object, 52” x 24”Enlightenment, Mixed Media/Wood, 58” x 58”

Hard & Soft, Mixed Media, 37” x 42”

12

City Jump, Mixed Media/Wood, 16.5” x 19”

Bad Lola, Mixed Media/Wood, 16” x 20”

Bliss, Mixed Media/Wood, 24” x 24”Getting To Know Someone, Mixed Media, 24” x 24”

1113

14

Lola Is That You?, Mixed Media/Wood, 36” x 28”

Fly By Day, Mixed Media/Found Object, 22” x 21”

I’m Used To The Stares, Mixed Media/Wood, 13.5” x 19”

1115

New York City

Artist Biography

Intensely personal, while at the same time unpreten-tious and accessible, Jason Douglas Griffin’s paintings borrow equally from classical artistic traditions, urban aesthetic and pop culture. In Griffin’s work, the intersection of cultures and ideologies produce an innovative style that challenges the common perceptions of art and identity.

Griffin’s art has been featured in several cities around the country including Miami, Chicago, Washington DC, and New York, as well internationally in China and Holland. He has been written about in magazines including NY Arts Magazine and The Economist, and has been featured in The Washington Post numerous times.

Griffin not only works to exhibit his art in galleries, but he has also tapped into the literary world in his book entitled “My Name is Jason. Mine Too”. This HarperCollins release, and debut into the published world, is a remarkably fresh and unique zine-like collection of text and art in a full color paperback.

...Griffin’s paintings borrow equally from classical artistic traditions, urban aesthetic and pop culture.

16

(Front) Gentle Man, Mixed Media/Found Object, 34” x 82” (Back) Open Me, Mixed Media, 85” x 65”

Cov

er

Jason Douglas Griffin

Look At Him, Mixed Media/Found Object, 18.5” x 27”

(Front) Gentle Man, Mixed Media/Found Object, 34” x 82” (Back) Open Me, Mixed Media, 85” x 65”

Leo Kesting Gallery812 Washington Street New York, NY 10014info@leokesting.com - http://leokesting .com917-650-3760 917-292-8865

Gansevoort St

West

Side

Hwy

Little West 12th St

Horatio St

Wash

ingt

on S

t

Gree

nwich

St