juxtaPOSE Exhibition

We had a blast at the opening of “juxtaPOSE” on the 12 th of July and we hope you did too! The show has been a great success and has even been noted by BLOUIN ARTINFO HK as one of the best art exhibitions in Hong Kong this July.

In a veritable hotbox of the summer heat and fiery conversation between friends, there was something quite spectacular in sipping on a cold beer and finding another kind warmth and passion exhibited by the winners of the Above Second Local Artist Competition. From a contemplated artistic union of talents, the very element that brings the show together explodes forth in ardent multiplicities; juxtapositions bring to light to the issues that matter to the artists and the artists themselves into the limelight.

The four artists Nelson Cabán, Pete Ross, Shann Larsson and used pencil have converged artistically whilst upholding their strong creative personalities. It is an absolute pleasure to showcase their pieces here at Above Second, so swing by or join us at the closing reception tomorrow to get to know these local artists and their work!

If you can’t make it and meet them in person, stay connected by following them online.

The artists (with used pencil stand-in)!

Nelson CabánSplitting his time between Hong Kong and New York City, Nelson is a man about the world. His work as an artist is always intellectually engaging and calls attention to the important sociocultural and political realities of the world around us. For Nelson, art is the place in our society to explore questions, try out new ideas, and take part in the age-old conversation about fundamental human concerns such as beauty, freedom, justice, truth and spirit. His work is held in private collections throughout the United States, Western Europe, South America, China, Canada, India and Japan, but most notably the collection of the 44 th U.S. President Barack H. Obama.

https://www.facebook.com/NelsonCabanArthttps://twitter.com/nelsoncaban

Pete RossBorn and raised in Hong Kong, the unique city and its people are the lifeblood of Pete’s work. His work as an architect offers him a unique vision of the complex socio-urban interactions that evolve from a city of contradictions. He brings to the forefront cultural mixes, diversity, memory and contradictions of city life, drawing from his own inspirations of Chinese and Western art. His work often references old ways of life, traditions and cultures against the fast paced perceptions of modern life and poses questions to the viewer of our own sense of belonging and identity within the urban jungle. He has recently won the Hong Kong Art Prize: People’s Prize 2013 for his ink pen work “Where Is Your Heart”.

https://www.facebook.com/pete.ross.arthttp://pete-ross-art.tumblr.com/

Shann LarssonShann is a mixed media artist based in Hong Kong with a love for the surreal, expressive and dark art. Working with a variety of media (in drawing, painting, and digital photo-manipulation) Shann creates her artwork inspired by transitional processes and darker recesses of the human subconscious. Surreal and abstract forms compose a lot of Shann’s works, intended to inspire the imagination. Her fascination with the human condition paired with various dualities or paradoxical elements such as beauty and decay is utilized in an attempt to translate emotion. Over the years, Shann has shared her work on her numerous websites, but has also been published in a few ‘underground’ art magazines including: Burrow Magazine (New York), Inside-Artzine, Dark Spy (Germany), as well as Galleri Magazine (Hong Kong).

https://www.facebook.com/shannlarssonsarthttp://shannlarsson.tumblr.com/

used pencilDrawing on our ever-changing social scene and diverse contemporary culture used pencil uses a fine blend of intelligent thinking, creative wizardry and some common sense to create images that reflect the modern world. He emphasizes beauty, highlights predicaments and pokes fun at humans and their strange habits. Whether he draws, cuts, sticks or clicks, every piece starts in his head and is later fine-tuned using his box of tricks. After studying Fine Art Sculpture and Illustration, he set off in search of inspiration, spending time walking the streets, talking to animals and collecting forgotten once desirable objects. He has recently been chosen to participate in the inaugural Secret Walls X Hong Kong live art battle, the Fight Club of the art world.

https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.pencilhttp://usedpencil.com/

JuxtaPOSE Closing Reception

Friday 26 July from 7 – 10 PM

Venue: Above Second, 31 Eastern St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong