In “Cenotaph,” the Great White Shark is sacrificed as a living monument. It has no predators other than man and even those sympathetic to its plight simultaneously fear it. The Christ-like visage represents man’s earth-based liaison unto the spiritual world as he erects a structure to assist humans in their acts of worship.

The “natural” world responds to this seemingly absurd behavior: a crow’s interaction with evil, the serpent, inspires chaos within a flock of birds… hoofed creatures below are respectively careless, outraged, and concerned… they see little more than their animal brethren undergoing crucifixion in the name of human selfishness and ego. In an attempt at resolution, a jellyfish chances the balance of neutrality and conviction while making efforts to align the disparate parties. 

Through religion humans negotiate earthly purpose, making it possible to proclaim superiority within the macrocosm and veil the reality that we are no more or less than blades of grass. 

Keeper’s Keep is a MUST-SEE!  On view until March 10, 2012.

In the words of Mark Sloan:

On Aggie Zed’s following:

About 60 of Aggie’s collectors came in from all over the US for this opening—California, Chicago, Boston, and a passel from Richmond, VA where she lived for many years. Her work is a bit of an acquired taste.  It is not for everyone.  But for those who like it (internally, we call them ZED HEADS) her work is a kind of rapture.  Her dreamlike world is pure imagination and wonder.

On the events leading up to the Halsey show:

I met Aggie in Richmond in 1983 when I was a graduate student working at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Anderson Gallery.  I helped install one of her really fragile pieces, and became enamored of her work at that time.  Since then, I have lived all over the country (San Francisco, upstate New York, etc.) before moving to Charleston in 1994.  In 1995 or 1996 I saw a show of her work at Nina Liu’s gallery here in Charleston.  Then, a few years later, I saw that she was having a show there and I went to the opening to re-connect with her.  She was still producing amazing work.  Then in 2002 or so, I asked her to consider doing a show with the Halsey and she said she’d like to think about it and “stew on the idea.”  We kept reconnecting when she would come to town, and finally in October of 2009, she agreed to commit to a show.  

On the evolution of Zed’s work in the 27 years he has known her:

It has continued to delve deeper and deeper into the human condition.

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Earful

Bookity Book

CYLE SUESZ

Cyle Suesz is a Charleston photographer specializing in fashion and portraiture.

IN THE ARTIST’S WORDS:      “I can’t simply pretend that I’ve seen the world. I’ve touched, experienced, and loved pieces.  Held; hands full of sand and watched the grains drift through the air. I’ve built wonderlands in my backyard and I hold with me the vivid eyes of a child learning always, and yearning for the opportunity to imagine.  While progressing in life, abrasions have been curated across my body; a gallery of others mistakes pushed into my own skin. My knees; rub the flesh to the stone pleading the same request every night. Take these simple cuts; little sacrifices and applies it to my virtue. The salt running the grains over curves causing adolescent erosion that only promoted inhabitation left me with nothing left to give up. The bone shards created a traction that allowed for an easier climb. The salt became heavier rolling, sliding, and pulling at my skin until I was enveloped in nothing but myself.  My bones finally in pieces laid to rest in the salt. There they lay neatly. The symbols of affection were chipped, and my skin was nowhere. Even the blood had dried. I never felt air only the small grains of salt free flowing over my wounds. I was fixated on the light of my current reality. My focus was left tingling and burning as the salt began to collect. The grains filled in the cracks to rebuild what they had taken. What was left was soon covered and there was a lack of light. Nothing was visible and I could hear nothing. I was alone with myself and in pieces. From above I felt a pressure melting all the solids together. Moisture sealed the pieces around me like a shell. I collapsed; buried in layers of hide pulling pieces of bone. A cohesion that made my eyes flutter. The moisture continued reanimating what was dead to reveal a fresh outer layer for a new progression. “

"Self Portrait"

"Veiled Woman"

visit Cyle’s blog here

In celebration of contemporary art in Charleston, upcoming exhibition THE INTUITIVE EYE highlights five leading contemporary artists.  The exhibition brings together progressive artists whose works branches across painting, works on paper and photography. THE INTUITIVE EYE’S artists—Benjamin Hollingsworth (Charleston, SC and New York, NY), Kevin Taylor (San Francisco, CA), Timothy Pakron (Charleston, SC and New York, NY), and Cyle Suesz (Charleston, SC)—all have expanded the conventional definitions of their medium, intersecting currents of contemporary art today. Rebekah Jacob states, “RJG is committed to being an exhibition space that presents and advocates new ideas, discourses, and trends in contemporary art today.  Eager to present new material to the Charleston audience, we continue to actively pursue emerging artists, new genres, and adventurous new works.” The exhibition will open on Friday, March 2 (5:30-8:30 PM) in conjunction with the Charleston Art Walk.  Most artists will be present.  INTUITIVE EYE will be on view March 1-31, 2012 at 169 King St.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:  

Self-taught Benjamin Hollingsworth creates gutsy multi-media works on paper and paintings that play with elements of identity and exude flashes of rebirth and transition. Timothy Pakron’s recent oeuvre focuses on nonrepresentational, non-vanity portraits. Some oil portraits are about abstracting the face while others have religious narratives.  Ben Williams’ latest large-scale photographs of empty beaches, cavernous ruins, and all sorts of natural wonders confront the viewer with the awesomeness of nature, but also with human vulnerability and mortality.  Kevin Taylor explores the idea that man and nature co-exist.  His works on paper and paintings are visual reminders that we are nature, and nature is indistinguishable from us, as we are governed by its chaos and shaped by its unpredictable forces.  Cyle Suesz’s works is  inspired by fashion photography.   The texture of the fabrics, long human forms, intense light and energy-all spur a  freedom to create stories.  His work will take you “his” world and aid you to see in new ways.