Corey Helford Gallery Presents Chie Yoshii and Bennett Slater (11/14)
New Exhibitions
ON VIEW
November 14 – January 9, 2021
"Trickster" (oil on wood panel, 16" x 12") by Chie Yoshii and "To Pie For" (oil on panel, 16" x 12") by Bennett Slater
Click here for sample of exhibit images
Opening Saturday, November 14th, downtown Los Angeles' Corey Helford Gallery is proud to announce two solo shows featuring new works from Japanese mythological surrealist painter Chie Yoshii, entitled Myth, in Gallery 2 and from Canadian illustrator and designer Bennett Slater, entitled Homemade Easy, in Gallery 3. Both shows mark each artist’s second solo at the gallery, and CHG plans to celebrate their debut with a virtual opening (details TBA).
Japanese born and U.S trained oil painter Chie Yoshii creates works that explore timeless psychological themes with a contrasting mix of techniques and styles. On the one hand, the brushstrokes and the luminosity of her panels are reminiscent of traditional Flemish paintings. The details, the quality of shading, and the softness of each character's complexion are presented in a masterly manner. On the other hand, the subtle symbolism and compelling presence of the figures bring an unexpected air of accessible modernity.
Much of Yoshii's work is inspired by the relationship between human psychology and mythical archetypes. In her show statement, she quotes pioneering psychiatrist Carl Jung, who said: "It is not storms, not thunder and lightning, not rain and cloud that remain as images in the psyche, but the fantasies caused by the effects they arouse."
In Yoshii's newest series Myth, these enduring themes are woven into surrealities, filled with symbols and visual narratives. Yoshii shares, "When we say, 'That is a myth,' we mean that it is not true. However, myth does reveal psychological truth. When we experience events, what remains in the psyche are the fantasies that arise with the emotions they cause. These fantasies become myth. The reverence we feel when we see the sunrise becomes the myth about the sun god. The puzzling feeling we experience when we are faced with tricky questions gives birth to the mythical trickster character. Myth is not about reality but the fantasies aroused by its effects. They are viscerally conceived and more tangible than reality. I have always been interested in what is common in human psychology: patterns, tendencies, and archetypes. Mythological themes inspire me because a myth that stands the test of time shows us a collective psyche that is common among us all. For this show, I created a world with these mythical motifs that make me feel connected, beyond time, culture, and space."
Bennett Slater utilizes traditional oil methods on wood. His techniques are borrowed from Flemish and Dutch master disciplines combined with bold, geometric forms linked to more contemporary futurism and deco sensibilities. This dichotomy of contrasting artistic disciplines and influences lends itself to the underlying dualities observed in his work.
Slater's work is inspired by the relationships the future shares with the past, the new from the old, life from death. Regarding his latest series, Homemade Easy, he shares: "The atomic age of Americana brought us dizzying highs and creamy middles- but one thing to survive the blast, a unifying nostalgia for the tastier, simpler, kitschier things. The dewy sweet aroma of freshly squeezed orange juice, the radiant crackling of bacon in a pan, and the sudden spring of the old reliable toaster put us somewhere- somewhere specific. Somewhere where you're sitting cross-legged on a patch of scratchy shag carpet, clasping the cool ceramic of your cereal bowl, while cartoons clank and bonk across the room. Cares seemed simple, and concerns seemed few. The sights, the smells, the sounds, and the feel of effortless comfort, a pure joy, can be tapped with the simplest memory. But keeping those memories stoked can feel more and more challenging. The further we walk down the road, the harder it can be to reach back.
This series of work looks to tap your senses, experiences, nostalgia, and creature comforts- whisking your memory into soft peaks so it doesn't melt away. Fill your bellies, and your hearts will follow."
On Saturday, November 14th, Myth by Chie Yoshii opens in Gallery 2 and Homemade Easy by Bennett Slater opens in Gallery 3, alongside CHG’s Art Collector Starter Kit VII group show in the Main Gallery. Corey Helford Gallery is located at 571 S. Anderson St. Los Angeles, CA 90033 and normal hours are Tuesday – Saturday, from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Please note: In order to keep our family of artists, collectors and staff safe, and in compliance with the COVID-19 state-wide mandate, the physical gallery will remain closed until further notice but can be reached via email at jch@coreyhelfordgallery.com.
About Chie Yoshii:
A native of Japan, Chie Yoshii came to the U.S. in 1996, where she completed BFA at Massachusetts College of Art in 2000. She began her career as a visual effects artist in Los Angeles and eventually shifted her focus to painting, her primary passion. Yoshii would go onto study drawing and painting at Pasadena's ArtCenter College of Design and Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. Eventually, Yoshii studied with the award-winning and internationally recognized realist painter Adrian Gottlieb from 2002 to 2008, before going onto exhibit her work in galleries worldwide. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
About Bennett Slater:
Bennett Slater is a Canadian illustrator, designer, and graduate from the Illustration program at the Sheridan Institute. Slater's work is drawn from the relationships the future shares with the past, the new from the old, life from death. Utilizing traditional oil methods on wood, his work plays with techniques borrowed from Flemish and Dutch master disciplines, combined with bold, geometric forms linked to more contemporary futurism and deco sensibilities. This dichotomy of contrasting artistic disciplines and influences lends itself to the underlying dualities observed in his work.
About Corey Helford Gallery:
Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) was first established in 2006 by Jan Corey Helford and her husband, television producer and creator, Bruce Helford (The Conners, Anger Management, The Drew Carey Show, George Lopez) and has since evolved into one of the premier galleries of New Contemporary art. Its goals as an institution are the support and growth of young and emerging, to well-known and internationally established artists. CHG represents a diverse collection of international artists, primarily influenced by today's pop culture and collectively encompassing style genres such as New Figurative Art, Pop Surrealism, Neo Pop, Graffiti and Street Art. CHG is located in Downtown Los Angeles in a robust 12,000 square foot building presenting new exhibitions approximately every six weeks. For more info and an upcoming exhibition schedule, visit CoreyHelfordGallery.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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