ryan beck, here and there: 50 days
JUNE 6 - 30 2008
OPENING RECEPTION
FRIDAY 6 June 6-9pm
222gallery
222 Vine Street Philadelphia PA 19106
open mon - fri 12-5, or by appointment
215.873.0750 x105
info@222gallery.com
ryan beck, here and there: 50 days
222gallery is pleased to present new works by Philadelphia artist Ryan Beck. Beck's abstract style represents contemporary street art brought into the gallery venue. His colorful forms reference the vibrancy of the city and the freshness of the graffiti that decorates it, while the overlaid linear drawing plays on childhood memories where rather than drawing inside the lines, Beck creates new lines and boundaries that are meant to be crossed in the transitions from form to ground. By focusing on creating a body of work within the confines of 50 days, his colorful abstract compositions and installation connects fine art and pop-culture to the local street scene, creating a visual activity that represents the energy he experiences in that span of time, in his studio, and in the city of Philadelphia.
"My work has always revolved around relationships with one's environment and the characters that occupy these spaces and their everlasting impact on one another. This show reflects the significant changes in my life since my show at 222gallery in Los Angeles in January. Up until these new works, all previous figures resided in the present. These new paintings consist of figures that are broken down by lines that are preoccupied by experiences of the past and the fascination of the control of one's future." -Ryan Beck
Ryan Beck obtained his BA in Painting from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and has exhibited in various galleries in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and New York City. Ryan lives and works in Philadelphia and is currently couch surfing at the Compound, where his studio is outside of Chinatown. When he is not painting, he is looking up movie memorabilia on eBay that he'll never buy, skateboarding, or trying to convince people why they should watch the movie, Blue Velvet. This is his first Philadelphia solo show.
ABOUT 222gallery and odg / otto design group
odg is a design collective with offices in Los Angeles and Philadelphia specializing in identifying and directing new concepts in architecture, graphics and design. 222gallery is dedicated to expanding traditional notions of fine art, communication, and function by presenting work that blurs the boundaries between art and everyday life. As a complement to odg's design studio, the gallery is an effort to further explore the cultural landscape in which we work.
