BRONX SCENE
BXNY Creative presents Look Closer: an exhibit of surrealist drawings
Rafael Melendez’ Midnight Rainbow on display at Hell Gate Arts.
BXNYCreative and Hell Gate Arts will
present the work of three New York based
artists who explore human nature and
themes of interconnectedness through surrealist
drawing. An opening reception will be
held on Saturday, March 2, from 4 to 7 p.m.
at Hell Gate Arts 755 E. 133rd Street..
Organized by independent curators
Laura James and Eileen Walsh, who work
under the name BXNYCreative, this exhibition
features drawings, painting, and sculpture
by artists Janita Lanzó, Alexis Duque,
and Rafael Melendez.
Look Closer invites viewers into the subconscious
minds of the artists to experience
how they tackle questions of proximity, our
impact as humans, and beauty. Upon closer
thought and inspection, one will see the
sinews of entanglement that worm through
each piece and threaten to strangle or delight.
Forms both recognizable, abstract,
and anthropomorphic interweave and interact
with one another in true surrealist fashion.
They tell stories of colonial infl uence, environmental
decay, corporate invasiveness,
and loving human support.
Alexis Duque’s work approaches the
idea of corporate encroachment and how it
forces itself into culture and space with its
seductive promises of ease and pseudo-improvement
to daily life. A native of Colombia,
his highly detailed drawings include a world
where vegetation and indigenous life are impregnated
with icons of American corporate
culture. Duque’s art is highly detailed and
rich; the mastery of his craft is evident.
Rafael Melendez’ series of work on display
focuses on his time in Texas, where he
was involved with a community of artists in a
space rife with inspiration and support during
diffi cult times fi nancially and artistically.
Melendez remembers it as a time of great
creative output, and his work comes at us
with feelings of a delightful and perverse fantasy
world. This series of intuitive drawings
uses anthropomorphic and trans-human fi gures
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, F 54 EBRUARY 22-28, 2019 BTR
to create an imagined world that examines
the feelings of frenetic joy and creativity
that the artist felt at the seminal time in the
early part of his career.
Look Closer runs through Sunday, April
13. there will be an artist’s talk on Thursday,
March 28, from 6 to 8 p.m.Participating artists
include Janita Lanzó, Alexis Duque, and
Rafael Melendez.
For further information email Bxnycreative@
gmail.com or call (203) 814-6856.
* * *
BronxWorks to announces its 2019 Lifting
Lives Gala benefi ting children, families,
and seniors of the Bronx to be held on Tuesday,
May 14, 66 to 9 p.m. at The Grand Hyatt
New York. This year, BronxWorks will honor
Simon Stanaway, partner, EY and member,
BronxWorks Board of Directors; and CARR,
A Xerox Company. Lisa Evers, television
reporter for FOX 5 and executive producer
of Street Soldiers, will once again serve as
the mistress of ceremonies. To learn more
about the gala, purchase tickets, journal
ads or to become a sponsor, visit the Bronx-
Works website at www.bronxworks.org.
* * *
Upcoming Wave Hill events and programs
include: Saturday, March 2; Sunday,
March 3: Family Art Project: Mapping Histories
through Seeds, Beans and Grains: Join
Winter Workspace artist Nobutaka Aozaki
to map your family history and explore your
personal relationships to seed, bean and
grain. Make a mosaic with seeds, legumes
and grains, and rethink the connection between
food, art and family history.
Sunday, March 3: Artists in the Winter
Workspace program share their studio practice
with visitors on this Drop-in Sunday.
Sunday, March 3: Join a Wave Hill Garden
guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal
garden highlights.
Wave Hill is located at 675 West 252nd
Street. For more information call (718) 549-
3200, ext. 256.
/www.bronxworks.org
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/www.bronxworks.org