Core Contemporary to present The Alchemy of Resistance

Core Contemporary is pleased to present The Alchemy of Resistance, a solo art exhibition featuring Core Arts Concord's current Artist-in-Residence, Michelle Graves, from January 13 through February 24.

The exhibition will be an immersive multi-disciplinary experience of sculpture, paintings, drawings and special interactive installations showcasing the unique body of work Graves created on-site in the nonprofit studio during a 5-week period beginning in early December.

Originally going into the Core Arts Concord Residency with the idea of doing research on aspects of resistance, Michelle Graves quickly realized what piqued her interest most was the moment of change that occurs when resistance is present. Graves wandered through a path of questions and experimentations on how to physically represent this change. What happens to a magnet when it is repelled or attracted? What is in that space between? If all particles have the properties of waves according to quantum mechanics (or are waves according to String Theory), then they are always vibrating, changing and always being affected by their surroundings. How can we as human beings phenomena made of these same wavelengths be more in tune, harmonize and alchemize our own resistance?

Visitors to the exhibition will experience Graves’ interdisciplinary, existential and often text-based art practice, involving intersections of art, science and consciousness. “Having the opportunity to observe another artist at work in the residency provides validation to the belief that art is a language, much like the spoken or written word, music, and dance. Michelle's language is driven by a desire to interpret conceptual ideas into more solid or tangible forms. I've long been a fan of her work and spending time with her in the studio has afforded me a deeper insight into her highly intelligent conceptual reasoning. The exhibition is the physical evidence of her unique thought process,” says gallery owner/curator Nancy Good.

Graves was born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, and received her BFA in Photography from Indiana University and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts and Media from Columbia College Chicago. She thrived in Chicago for 16 years then began a new life exploring Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2021. She is an Adobe Certified Expert and is the current Adobe Instructor and Digital Adviser for Denver Ad School.

The exhibition runs January 13 through February 24, with an opening reception and visit with the artist on Friday, January 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. There will also be a closing reception and artist's talk on Friday, February 24, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Located in the historic Sahara Commercial Center/New Orleans Square, 900 Karen Ave., Core Contemporary provides an engaging and accessible setting in which to experience remarkable original art, meet working artists, watch live painting, enjoy immersive educational forums, listen to live music and host private events.

Visit www.corecontemporary.com. Follow on Facebook @ CoreContemporary, Instagram @ CoreContemporary and Twitter @ COREContempora1.

American Roulette exhibit examines a difficult subject

Artistic expressions about gun culture and violence at Core Contemporary until Jan. 8

By Debbie Hall

Lead photo by Aaron Cowan

“Seven Tragic Mountains”

Dimensions Variable

Printed Digital Photograph

The gun target is:

Sean Russell “Hands”

32.5 inches x 24.5 inches x 2 inches Photographic Toner, Acrylic, Resin on Panel

Abstract image is:

Bindia Hallauer “Riot”

20 inches x 16 inches

Acrylic on Canvas

Directly confronting gun culture and violence, the traveling exhibition American Roulette presents its provocative artwork in Las Vegas at Core Contemporary. The American Roulette is on exhibit until Saturday, Jan. 8, with the closing reception planned later that evening.

Whether local or national, news alerts report the dramatic rise in violent crime, especially gun violence. According to the Gun Violence Archive, 14,516 people died from gun violence in the US from Jan. 1 to Sept. 15. That is a 9 percent increase from the same period in 2020. Mass shootings are also on the rise, 15 percent higher than in 2020.

American Roulette began as a solo traveling exhibition of Dominic Sansone’s sculpture The Gun Show in 2015. CJ Hungerman joined the exhibition for a two-person show in January 2017, and it was renamed Bang! Gotcha Joe! after Dominic’s boyhood friend. Once Cesar Conde joined the collective, the traveling exhibition was renamed American Roulette for its presentation at The Clemente Center on the lower east side of Manhattan in 2019.

Michelle Graves was asked to join in 2019, and Folleh Tamba was added in 2020 before the exhibition at The Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.

Yousif Del Valle and Anthony Guntren were working on a similar idea west, and when everyone discovered their mutual goals, the group came together to create American Roulette.

Core Contemporary curates art experiences based around challenging topics to evoke thoughtful contemplation and responses. A much-needed platform is offered for productive dialog across cultural and societal divides. The opportunity for an actual conversation about gun culture and violence is the chance for people to listen and learn from each other.

“It has been an honor to tour my artwork with the American Roulette exhibit. All of the work on display is intense but of an important topic, and I am glad that it has continued to be seen and discussed. The concept of utilizing art as a conversation starter and platform for deeper discussions on societal and existential topics is a personal mission of mine and pairs well with what American Roulette is doing as a traveling exhibit,” says Michelle. “Also, I am proud to help provide opportunities and encourage artists to exhibit their work in a prestigious manner.”

Local Southern Nevada artists who were accepted to the call for art for the Las Vegas exhibit includes:

Linda Shaffer instagram.com/redpearlart

Dan Brady instagram.com/void._.space

Aaron Cowan instagram.com/aaaartist

Adriane Serrano Bojorquez instagram.com/xxaryalaxx91

Tom Umholtz instagram.com/tomumholtz

Carla Furey instagram.com/whiteshadowart

Michelle Costigan www.instagram.com/hikingmich

Sean Russell www.instagram.com/chili_river

Vezun instagram.com/vezunvezun

Bindia Hallauer instagram.com/artbybindia

Nancy Good instagram.com/nancygood_art

Kelly Ludden Facebook.com/kelly.ludden

Jen Spencer Facebook.com/kitschyjen

This is a very personal project for Serrano Bojorquez who has experienced gun violence. As she stated in her bio on the Core Contemporary website, "I was held hostage at gunpoint in 2018, during a robbery, at one point he lifted the visor of his helmet and I saw his eyes, that image is burned into my mind. I was able to disarm him where law enforcement was able to subdue him due to my knowledge of guns."

Artists part of the traveling American Roulette exhibit:

Dominic Sansone sans1studios.com

CJ Hungerman cj-hungerman.squarespace.com

Cesar Conde cesarcondeart.com

Michelle Graves gravesmichelle.com

Folleh Tamba americanrouletteart.com/Folleh-Tamba

Anthony Guntren instagram.com/anthonyguntrenart

Yousif Del Valle yousifdelvalle.com

Core Contemporary showcases artists who are strong in genres such as abstraction, surrealism, street, and minimalism, working in mediums as diverse as painting, collage, assemblage, photography, digital design, sculpture, and performance art.

Fear and paranoia have become a very integral part of many lives, not only from the pandemic and its economic and societal consequences, but the significant uptick in crime, especially gun violence. Another aspect showcasing the gun culture are the devotees of the true crime genre with networks, movies, television shows, podcasts, YouTube, and Patreon channels regurgitating the most heinous crimes. American Roulette showcases very personal emotions about the fascination with crime and its consequences.

American Roulette will be exhibited at Core Contemporary located at 900 E. Karen, Suite D222. The exhibit will continue through Jan. 8, 2022, with a closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8. The exhibition is accessible from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. No appointments are necessary. For more information, visit corecontemporary.com or americanrouletteart.com.