Last week, Gia Seo curated a one-night-only exhibition at Niagara Bar in New York's East Village titled "ThankYou," featuring work by James Evans, Smurfo, Antwan Duncan, Fernando Ruiz, and Galen DeKemper. In discussing the show and the pieces she selected, Seo told Opening Ceremony, "There was something about all of the pieces that the artists showed me when I first met them that I thought would come together well in a cohesive show. I don’t know how cohesive it was," she added, "but it was interesting to see."
Evans' paintings, Smurfo's graffiti, Ruiz's drawings, DeKemper's zines, and the other work in the show combined to form what Opening Ceremony says "accurately represented the juxtapositions of city life in all its forms." Seo gave a little more insight into the name of the exhibition in a statement:
I curated Thankyou to recognize four different types of people that without fail have been integral in shaping the way I view New York. There is Smurfo, a born and raised New York entity who is proud in his impressive world but quick to hide behind his medium. There is also Fernando, a quiet curator of his own work, never too eager but always open to exploring the inkling of a page. Antwan once told me "Fear is pretend, it has no substantial standing unless you pedestal it," a sentiment that is embodied in both his persona as well as his work. Then there is James, a brooding character with immense imagination written into his body language and displayed in his every day being. I am proud to present these four seemingly disparate personalities, all with their own unique mediums, together as a cohesive thank you.
Check out some of Patrick Spears' photos from the event to get an idea of what went down.
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