I've always liked Daniel Danger. We've known each other for quite some time now and I've always considered him a friend. But it wasn't until about a year ago when we realized we shared a common interest that from that day on would make us some type of pop culture brothers. We are both insanely obsessed with Friday Night Lights the TV show. Obsessed in a sense that neither of want to admit the characters, or storylines, aren't real. When the show came to end recently, Daniel and I would text each other, while most likely crying in our houses in different states, knowing how important this show was to us, and how it probably always be. Clear eye, full heart, grown men tearing up about small town football life.
The one thing that Daniel I loved about Friday Night Lights, right behind the characters that we wished were our best friends, our linemen, was the backdrop of Dillon, Texas. The small Texas city where everything revolved around the Friday night high school football game was one of the stars of the shows. The sets created, and sometimes fabricated (they did film in Austin), told stories all on their own. Being from Los Angeles my whole life (I grew up in the suburb of Calabasas that had more yogurt shops than trees), it was really a culture shock that I loved. I envied small town life and loved the aesthetic. Daniel, who's toured to just about every small town in the US with his band (and while displaying his art to some extent) and lives in rural Massachusetts himself, obviously has a different history and feeling about these areas, but we connected the same way when it was portrayed on our favorite TV show. And that's where the idea from this show was born.
Daniel, who's work resides within deserted and desolate looks into nature, has curated a show that is very different for Gallery1988. "Devil Town," isn't inspired by Friday Night Lights (although NEVER FORGET), but Daniel explained like this the the artists we invited:
"I wanted to do something that was more about environment and atmosphere; rural and distant suburbs, dead farmlands, quiet and dark towns, lampposts, convenience stores, high school bleachers, teenage suburban escapism, abandoned industry, etc. Generally the opposite of more defined 'urban art' conventions."
We couldn't be more excited about this show. It's a definite change of pace for us and we welcome it with open arms. Daniel has unveiled one of his new prints for the show already and it's beautiful and a great representation of what the show is about...
And we're just as excited to announce the full line-up for this show...
Dan Black
Dan Lydersen
Daniel Danger
Daniel MacAdam
Hellen Jo
Ian Millard
Jacob Van Loon
James Naughton
JC Richard
Jeff Gillette
Josh Graham
Justin Santora
Justin Staller
Leah Giberson
Mike Doyle
Nate Duval
Nicholas Bohac
Scott Belcastro
We're going to be featuring a lot of these artists until the show opening on Dec 2nd, especially since so many are new names to G1988, but first we figured we'd hone in on 2.
First up is Mike Doyle. Daniel recently saw his work the same place I did: all over blogs. Mike makes UNREAL Victorian, decrepit Lego buildings that you would swear are a product of photoshop or some sort of black magic. Here's an example:
I can't believe he can do that. Mike will be participating in his ever first art show with "Devil Town," displaying and selling his signature photographs of these buildings. Look at these details:
And then there's Dan Lydersen. After his incredible painting in our LOST Underground Art Project and his recent beauty in the Video Game show at Venice, he is easily in my top ten artists we show. His detail is unparalleled and the little world he creates is so intriguing. This is one of his two pieces in "Devil Town," and it's a painted diptych. It's called "Front & Rear" and is beautiful. It captures the instructions of Daniel to a tee.
It goes without saying, this show is going to be stunning. Mark your calendars now, for after Thanksgiving (p.s. while you're in the calendar, our annual sale is right around the corner) as "Devil Town" will open December 2nd, 7-10 PM at G1988 (Melrose).
Jensen
G1988 (Melrose)
