Philly Caj: AUTOMAT @ Ortega y Gasset Projects
Philly Caj: AUTOMAT @ Ortega y Gasset Projects
Exhibition Exchange
Serious Play at AUTOMAT
and Philly Caj at Ortega y Gasset Projects
December 10 – Sunday, January 15, 2017
Opening Reception:
Saturday, December 10, 2017, 6-9pm
In an effort to open up discussions with other artist-run spaces, especially those beyond New York, Ortega y Gasset Projects is pleased to announce an exhibition exchange with AUTOMAT Collective in Philadelphia. The exchange begins with Serious Play, an exhibition* of works by the directors of Ortega y Gasset Projects at AUTOMAT, opening Saturday, December 2, 6-10pm. Soon to follow, Ortega y Gasset Projects presents Philly Caj, a group exhibition of works by members of AUTOMAT. Philly Caj runs from Saturday, December 10 until Sunday, January 15, 2017. There will be an opening reception for Philly Caj on Saturday, December 10, 6-9pm.
It is tempting – and very difficult – to locate a unifying theme in the work of artists whose main collaborative project is not collaborative art-making itself, but the launching of an artist-run gallery. The 8 artists in Philly Caj work on a variety of styles and approaches. So, what is the link between the work, if one exists at all? We venture to suggest a certain casualness. Paintings show loose gestures and edges that soften and blend; forms sag and embrace their own irregularity. By eschewing the monumental, the artists in Philly Caj question the notions of artistry and beauty. In doing so, they connect with a relevant emotional poignancy expressed in hand-made form. A fresh sense of playfulness is expressed in upbeat colorfulness and a commitment to off-beat tactility.
AUTOMAT is a new force in the Philadelphia art scene. Opening its doors in April 2015, the collective has since put on 12 exhibitions. Curatorial themes have included the amorphous nature of identity; gender; class; and a curatorial response to the building in which the gallery resides. AUTOMAT members are Steve Basel, Nadine Beauharnois, Emily Blair Elliot, Morgan R. Hobbs, Lucas Kelly, Julia Owens, Marcelle Reinecke, and Jillian Schley.
*Serious Play at AUTOMAT runs from December 2 – January 8, 2017 and includes works by the directors of Ortega y Gasset Projects:
Eleanna Anagnos, Clare Britt, Joshua Bienko, Catherine Haggarty, Eric Hibit, Will Hutnick, Leeza Meksin, Sarah Rushford, and Zahar Vaks