Epic Painting

Epic Painting: Ali Banisadr, Charles Browning, Robert Colescott, Julie Heffernan, Laurie Hogin, Nicky Nodjoumi

Organized by the Samek Art Gallery

Curated by Dan Mills

October 23 – December 8, 2009

This exhibition features one significant, large-scale painting each by six acclaimed painters. The artists address many important issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including issues of race, war, the environment, misuse of power, human conflict, and sexuality. In a variety of ways, each combines an acute knowledge of painting, freely referencing painting genres including portraiture, history painting, landscape and allegory. Quoting historic painting passages and incorporating art historic subjects or styles into their own distinctive work, the artists make powerful, smart and challenging paintings.

Ali Banisadr was born in Tehran in 1976, where he lived until he was 12; he lives in New York. Charles Browning was born 1963 and lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The late Robert Colescott (1925-2009) was born in Oakland, and lived in Tucson since the early 1980s. Laurie Hogin was born in Chicago in 1962, and lives in Chicago and Downstate Illinois. Nicky Nodjoumi was born in Kermanshah, Iran, and has lived in New York since the 1970s.

Ali Banisadr's work is courtesy of Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects, New York and Jacob Miller Collection, and Laurie Hogin's work is courtesy of the artist and Schroeder Romero Gallery, New York. Charles Browning's work is courtesy of Schroeder Romero, and the New York collection of Bayard and Dan Peyton. Robert Colescott's work is courtesy of Robert Colescott Art Studio and the Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York. Julie Heffernan's work is courtesy of P·P·O·W, New York. Nicky Nodjoumi's work is courtesy of Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, New York.