Kantor Gallery presents artist Elijah Blue’s inaugural exhibit “Step-and-Repeat”
February 24, 2010 – April 02, 2010
Kantor Gallery is pleased to present “Step-and-Repeat”, an exhibition of paintings and installations by Los Angeles based artist Elijah Blue. “Step-and-Repeat” marks Blue’s inaugural fine-art exhibition.
”Step-and-Repeat”reflects on the amalgamation of the corporatocracy and celebrity cultures through use of the step-and-repeat wall, a staple at red-carpet events. Manufactured quickly and brandished with corporate logos, these backdrops are signage for the biggest sponsor, lacking any aesthetic substance; Blue has shifted the paradigm and forged carefully hand-painted panels. Using a photorealistic approach, he suggests that celebrity personalities have merged with these backdrops, becoming a single entity of commerce. “The celebrity and the backdrop are the same thing, they are both billboards, they have fused,” says Blue. The wordage of Blue’s logos, such as ‘Ivory Tower’, are the punch line and heart of his reflections, underlining his conclusions on the condition of celebrity, aiming fame back at itself. The installations themselves are so meticulously crafted that it is hard to differentiate between these process heavy painted panels and the “one-night-stand” of traditional, cheaply made step and repeat panels.
In addition to the three large installations based on the traditional step and repeat wall, the exhibit will feature five smaller works that have the essence of the larger pieces as they reflect through Blue’s carefully chosen logos the relationship between celebrity and the corporatocracy.
“Step-and-Repeat” will be open to the public from February 24th through April 2nd, 2010 at Kantor Gallery, 7025 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038.
