^..^ / :) Show Opens This Friday

Opening receptions: Friday July 1, 6-8pm
Curated by Brent Birnbaum, Fran Holstrom & Carolyn Salas


Casita Maria is proud to present two concurrent exhibits: one features
artwork depicting animals, the other features artwork depicting
humans. The work will cohabitate the same space and elucidates the
complicated way we identify as individuals and social beings, once
wild.

^..^
Someone let the dogs out in contemporary art! Brent Birnbaum presents
a selection of New York City’s talented emerging artists, in a show
aptly titled ^..^ which acts more as a symbol (think perky ears) than
a slogan. The work of eight artists was chosen for its’ depiction of
animals as vehicles for exploring the human condition, surrogates for
human emotions, and/or factual explorations of our relationships with
other species. From guard dogs to presidential dogs, and tattoo flash
to anthropomorphized creatures, no one here is barking up the wrong
tree.

Adam Parker Smith, Allison Hester, Allison Hawkins, Irena Jurek, Ryan
Sullivan, Patrick Marcoux, Doug McQueen, Daniel Heidkamp


:)
Carolyn Salas and Fran Holstrom paired up to present a group
exhibition titled, :) The work in this show ranges in its motivation,
expression and interpretation of portraiture in contemporary art. Some
of the artists included know the person they are depicting, some
depict themselves from memory, while others create more open-ended
documents or abstract figures meant to appeal to the “everyman”.
Whether rendered with a careful hand or an expressive brush, the
viewer is offered insight into the existence of others, which
inevitably causes self-reflection, doubt and comparison, all of which
are fundamental to our realization of “self” dependent on the pack for
our individual identities.

Joshua Abelow, Jamison Brosseau, Maureen Cavanaugh, Holly Coulis, Andy
Cross, EJ Hauser, Pablo Helguera, Hein Koh, Willie Wayne Smith