Erik Parker
Run with the hunted

23 Mar - 29 Apr 2017

AISHONANZUKA is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of Erik Parker “Run with the hunted" in HongKong.

Erik Parker was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1969 and currently lives and works in New York. After attending the University of Texas at Austin and receiving a master of fine art from Purchase College in New York, Parker quickly gained prominence for his participation in the inaugural "Greater New York" exhibition that took place in conjunction with MOMA PS1 in 2000. Ever since, he has held exhibitions in museums including the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and The Modern Museum of Art Fort Worth, as well as international galleries throughout the world such as Paul Kasmin gallery, Honor Fraser, and Galeria Javier Lopez.

Parker describes the roots of his works as deriving inspiration from elements of Lowbrow Art conveyed in underground comics such as MAD magazine, satirical illustrations, and that of graffiti. Further, he mentions learning the importance of developing an 'anti-establishment' attitude that is unbound by conventional rules while studying with artist Peter Saul at the University of Texas at Austin. It is no understatement that this very experience had presented a pivotal impact on the course of Parker's subsequent artistic practice. It is to note that Parker's oeuvre had naturally been conceived through an interest towards, and as a result of the influence of Chicago Imagists such as Jim Nutt and Karl Wirsum, as well as the likes of Royal Robertson who respectively were yet to receive acclaim for their works at the time, however had later come to be reevaluated and currently recognized as representative figures of the American art scene.

Parker's paintings predominantly consist of four major series that he has continued to develop throughout the course of his career. "MAPS," which at a glance seemingly embodies the presence and ethos of outsider art, brings together aggregated clusters of texts that are roughly yet correlatively arranged and shaped into various entities. "HEADS" is a series of portraits that symbolically represent the mappings of the artist's own brain while simultaneously delving into the depths of his mind and streams of thought. "Hieroglyphics" and "STILL LIFES" also capture much of Parker's characteristically graphic style, the former showcasing pictogram-like images of monsters, symbols, and forms reminiscent of words –a contemporary Rosetta Stone of sorts, with the latter depicting the artist's unique interpretation of classic still-life arrangements of plants and landscapes. Through such thematic concerns, Parker serves to graphically convey the state of politics, society and economic demographics that permeate out current world through his unique compositions that swell and seethe with elements of pop culture, music, and history.

The exhibition features a selection of approximately 10 works. An opening reception with the artist in attendance will be held on 23 March from 5pm.



AISHONANZUKA 將於香港舉行Erik Parker 首次個人展覽 「Run with the hunted」。

Erik Parker，1969年於德國斯圖加特出生，現於紐約居住及工作。自德克薩斯州大學奧斯汀分校畢業並於紐約州立大學帕切斯分校完成藝術系碩士學位後，Parker 隨即於2000年參與在P.S.1當代藝術館 (MOMA P.S.1)舉辦的 Greater New York 展覽後嶄露頭角，此後更於多個藝術館展出作品，當中包括奧德里奇當代藝術館 (The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum) 及沃斯堡現代藝術博物館 (The Modern Museum of Art Fort Worth)；亦曾參與多個國際畫廊於世界各地的展覽，包括Paul Kasmin gallery，Honor Fraser 及 Galeria Javier Lopez。

Parker 表示其創作的靈感來自低眉藝術的地下漫畫元素，如 MAD雜誌、諷刺插畫及塗鴉等，他提及在德克薩斯州大學奧斯汀分校裡與藝術家Peter Saul一同學習時，明白到培養解除傳統規範的枷鎖的「反主流」態度之重要性，這種想法在Parker其後的創作中亦不難察覺。Parker的作品自然地滲透了備受矚目的芝加哥意象派畫家如Jim Nutt，Karl Wirsum及Royal Robertson的影響，其後他被重新評價並成為近期美國藝術圈代表性人物。

在Parker繪畫創作發展中，作品主要分為四個系列：「MAPS」是以類似素人藝術的方式呈現，將文字及詞彙重新堆砌及組合成為圖像；「HEADS」是以藝術家思考方式和研究記號轉化而成的一系列肖像畫；「Hieroglyphics」和「STILL LIFES」系列同樣充滿Parker獨特的個人繪畫風格，前者如當代羅塞塔石碑般，描繪了怪獸、記號、象形文字似的圖像，後者則是藝術家對植物及風景等傳統靜物描繪的重新演繹。Parker透過特別構圖及流行文化、音樂及歷史等元素，表達對現時政治、社會、經濟的關注。

是次展覽將會展示10幅新作，藝術家將出席三月二十三日五時開始的開幕酒會，歡迎參觀及與藝術家交流。

Works

Exhibition view

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