BREAD & BUTTER curated by Adrian Zuñiga

If I am visiting several art galleries in one day, which I do often, then I usually end my journey at Galleri Urbane. Mostly because when I visit, I like to linger and look a little longer at their art layout. During my last visit, I was happy to find that Adrian Zuñiga had returned to curate another summer show. Admittingly, this was not as exciting as some of his wild picks for past shows. However, picking mainly from Galleri Urbane’s stable of artists still produces an enjoyable mix of art.

Why do galleries have group shows with the majority of artists in their stable? Haven’t we seen all of them before in solo shows? One advantage to doing a stable exhibition is to show the public the artists’ new work. Loring Taoka may have shown recently, but this new work explores some innovations in his process. With the use of a laser cutter, Taoka reveals his digital hand in making the Plexiglass object. Another recent solo show artist is Arden Bendler Browning. Instead of innovation, you see Browning continue the exploration of her trip to Australia. Her painting Mirage is an abstract landscape that feels strangely happy. Abby Sherrill recently had a solo show as well, and her mixed media piece did not let me pass by quickly. I had to slow down and contemplate it.

Showing stable artists in a group show can help generate buzz for future solo shows. Jessica Snow has an upcoming solo show and her work titled Master of the Nets 5 is a funky acrylic on canvas painting that will attract those who want to enjoy a little fun with their abstraction viewing. Heath West took me by surprise with a piece titled Schloss Schönbrunn. Sure, West was already painting very minimal architectural paintings, but he stripped this painting down to the look and feel of a drawing. For something so simple, I just kept coming back to it.
A good stable show is clever enough to take on a few outsiders to the mix. Zuñiga brings in Benjamin Terry and Christopher Paul Dean. I can’t tell you how many times I have written about Terry, but in my book, he is always worth a mention. His piece reminded me of sagging draped curtains made of wood. Dean has a nice geometric inspired piece titled Integrated Systems no.10 that reminds me of a quilt pattern that plays in the realm of Op art.

Another great thing about this stable show is the price points. Really, most of the gallery going crowd can imagine themselves getting something from a show like this. From the newbie to the serious collector, there is something for everyone here. Galleri Urbane’s presentation of Bread & Butter will run through August 25th.

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