I wont be posting to this blog anymore. If you want to keep up to date with new work, shows and press please go to asad-faulwell.com

asad-faulwell.com

Beautiful Decay / Made with Color feature

 Check out this feature on the Beautiful/Decay site http://beautifuldecay.com/2013/06/04/made-with-color-presents-asad-faulwells-ornate-political-paintings/ presented in conjunction with madewithcolor.com

Rogue Wave '13 @ L.A. Louver Opening July 18th

I will have new work in Rogue Wave '13 @ L.A. Louver in Venice Beach.  The show opens July 18th and runs through August 24th.

The show will feature work by Sarah Awad, Matthew Brandt, Kent Familton, Asad Faulwell, Sherin Guirguis, Peter Holzhauer, Farrah Karapetian, Laura Krifka, Own Kydd, Ashley Landrum, Heather Gwen Martin, Christopher Miles, Alison O'Daniel, Kim Schoenstadt, Eric Yahnker.

http://www.lalouver.com/roguewaveprojects/html/next.html

Installation Shots from "Pins and Needles" at Nerman MOCA

All Images Courtesy E.G Schrempf Nerman MOCA

Essay by Franklin Sirmans for "Pins & Needles" @ Nerman MOCA

Asad Faulwell: ReInventing History Painting

Asad Faulwell, like fewer and fewer artists of his generation, has an axe to grind.  Having acquired a facility and technique for creating seductively patterned and textured paintings he has more recently built narratives directly into the surfaces of his pictures. And, the diversity of his approach is evident in the selection of paintings in this, his first solo museum project. In this ongoing series, since 2010, Les Femmes D’Algers, Faulwell has created paintings to consecrate his women of Algeria. In so doing he has sought to explore territory with a long art historical legacy. And, while he isn’t painting nudes the story of the naked unclothed female body as painter’s subject is worth noting.

In the history of western painting the female nude has held interest for countless painters since the 16^th century. Renaissance artists like Giorgione and Titian found the nude to be the perfect focal point for their pictures. By the 19^th century, travel, trade and empire building led to a different type of nude female painting. French colonialism prodded visual testimony to ideas of the exotic and erotic other in the 19^th century. Here we enter the ways in which a young contemporary artist can find similar territory of utter necessity to explore further.

Born in Idaho to an Iranian family, Faulwell’s interest in Algeria has roots in his own existence but it is one that is detached, sober and lacking in romanticism. He has learned and continues to practice the essence of his trade. Color, line composition are the tropes of his work and he sets about working through those tried and true elements as have great painters before him.

In the era of colonialism, though the woman still reclined in a languorous pose, she became darker, at least around the eyes, and the scene of the pastoral landscape that had already evolved from the Renaissance into darker more sensual, Baroque interiors became the site of the harem. Painted from travel accounts, Ingres’s Grand Odalisque of 1814 as its name implies focuses on a slave or concubine.  Though Ingres never traveled outside Europe he read travel accounts, particularly those from Turkey and made many pictures of odalisques from his imagination. Delacroix, who did study abroad as a documentarian for a political mission, in particular six months spent in Morocco with a spell in Algiers, painted Les Femmes d’Algers in 1834 and another version in 1849. And, no matter how Romantic the painting is, its power as a document of imperialist intent is remarkable in the 21^st century. Picasso studied both Ingres and Delacroix at the Louvre before creating 15 variations on the scene in 1954-1955. Picasso experimented deeply with variations painted in grissaile, extinguishing the cultural import of lavish colors.

For the younger artist, such a fraught history might be problematic. In order to get at a variation on the scene in the contemporary, the young artist, beatifies, rather than distorts. De Kooning has already performed a less than glorious distortion of the abstracted female body. In his paintings Faulwell celebrates the warrior women who fought for independence. Rather than employ an everywoman throughout the paintings, he has looked closely at the individuals to recount their stories. Like Picasso, he looks at the women from all angles. In some of the paintings, a grissaile visage of the heroic woman looms large as in Les Femmes d’Algers #8. Or, in #12, the figure is almost obscured, reclining at the bottom of the painting under billowing sashes of geometric color and floral motifs perhaps inspired by Islamic textiles.

In Djamila Bouhired #2 and Mujahidat #9, Faulwell builds surfaces that appear abstract from a distance yet upon closer inspection, he has collaged heads of the women into the surface. The influence of Fred Tomaselli is evident in these paintings, as the background surfaces are indebted to artists like Robert Kushner a proponent of the Pattern and Decoration movement since the 1970s. Faulwell’s usage of the collaged representational image as a device for creating lines and contours is also reminiscent of the early work of Ellen Gallagher who took miniaturized stereotypical images of blackface characters and embedded them into her paintings as formal devices to move the eye across the expanse of large paintings. Only a viewer’s close inspection would yield something of a realist or representational manner. Likewise, Faulwell constantly seeks new ways to mix his concerns for formal innovation with conceptual weight. Some years ago the young artist was prompted by such a proposal.

MG: Can you see a time when you would just make a pretty picture for its own sake or is some content inevitable with your approach?

AF: I think that the content is inevitable. The formal qualities are really tied up in and are reliant on the content.[i]

---

[i] Mat Gleason, “Cover Story: Asad Faulwell,” in Coagula Art Journal, Issue #96, February 2009, p. 53.

Asad Faulwell and Chris Johanson @ The Nassau County Museum of Art

I will have several pieces from 2010-2013 in a two person show with Chris Johanson at The Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, NY.  The show opens March 9th and closes June 16th.

for more information check out http://www.nassaumuseum.com/exhibits_asad_faulwell.php

Les Femmes D Alger #25 48"x36

I will also have new work in the Lawrie/Shabibi booth at Art13 in London from March 1st to March 3rd.
The booth was named one of the 10 ten at the fair.
http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/872905/see-the-top-10-booths-from-londons-maverick-new-global-fair

Les Femmes D Alger #24 84"x72"

"Pins and Needles" at The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art Opening February 22nd

My first museum solo show "Pins and Needles" will be opening at Nerman MOCA on February 22nd.  The opening reception will begin at 6 pm followed by a lecture at 7 pm.  The show will feature several medium to large scale works from 2010-2012.

The reception has been postponed due to extreme weather and will be rescheduled.

For more information check out http://www.nermanmuseum.org/exhibitions/exhibitions

     
Les Femmes D'Alger #12 48" x 36" 2011

Upcoming Shows

My solo show "Pins and Needles" at The Nerman Museum of Art will open February 22nd.  This is my first museum solo show and will feature 9 medium to large scale pieces.

I will also have several pieces in a two person show with Chris Johanson at The Nassau County Museum of Art opening March 9th.

Also I will be showing a couple of new pieces with my Dubai Gallery Lawrie/Shabibi at Art13 in London.

 

Also be sure to check out "Chockablock" at The University Art Museum in Long Beach and "The New World" at The Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art.

asad-faulwell.com up and running

My new site asad-faulwell.com is up and running.  Stop by and check it out.

"Chockablock" @ University Art Museum

Les Femmes D'Alger #23 60"x84" 2012

I will have new work in "Chockablock" at The University Art Museum in Long Beach.  The show is curated by Kristina Newhouse and features work by Anthony Carfello, Alice Clements, Evan Everest, Roya Falahi, Amir H. Fallah, Asad Faulwell, Janice Gomez, Julia Haft-Candell, Ashley Hagen, Jonathon Hornedo, Ichiro Irie and Lucas Kazansky, Anna Mayer, Prumsodun Ok, Lisa Tchakmakian, Devon Tsuno, Jemima Wyman.  The show runs from January 26th - April 15th and the opening reception is January 26th from 6-8 PM.

"The New World" @ Wignall MOCA

I will also have new work in "The New World" at The Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art in Rancho Cucamonga.  The show was curated by Roman Stollenwerk and features work by Isabel Avila, Chris Barnard, Cathy Breslaw, Hugo Crosthwaite, Asad Faulwell, Chuck Feesago, Galeria Perdida, Kaguya, Biance Kolonusz-Partee, Elleni Sclavenitis and Joe Suzuki. The show runs from January 22nd- March 16th and the opening is January 22nd from 6-8 PM.

Review of "The New World" from IE Weekly  http://ieweekly.com/2013/02//pick-of-the-week-events/the-new-world/

About Face @ ACME Gallery

I will have a small piece in About Face at ACME Gallery.  The show was curated by Daniel Weinberg.

Artists in the show include: Richard Artschwager, Lutz Braun, Chris Brodahl, Kristin Calabrese, Brian Calvin, Ahn Duong, Andre Ethier, Asad Faulwell, Steve Gianakos, Alexander Gorlizki, Scott Grodesky, Mary Addison Hackett, EJ Hauser, Katie Heck, Jonathan Herder, Becky Kolsrud, Robert Lostutter, Ashley Macomber, Josh Mannis, Eddie Martinez, David McGee, Damien Meade, John Mills, Malcolm Morley, Ryan Mrozowski, Loren Munk, Jim Nutt, Robyn O'Neil, Ed Paschke, Joshua Petker, Jerry Phillips, Stephanie Pryor, Helen Rae, Tom Sanford, Amy Sarkisian, Allison Schulnick, James Siena, Neal Tait, Michael Tetherow, Sandra Vasquez de la Horra, John Wesley, Karl Wirsum, and Tad Lauritzen Wright.

The show open on November 17th and runs through December 22nd.  The reception will be December 1st from 6-8 pm at ACME, 6150 Wilshire Blvd.

Here a is a link to a preview on artweek.la http://artweek.la/issue/november-26-2012/article/about-face

Les Femmes D Alger #20 60"x144"

Oppenheimer Collection @ Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art will host a gala Sept. 29 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Oppenheimer art collection.
The event, honoring Marti and Tony Oppenheimer, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Nerman on the campus of Johnson County Community College. For information about attending, visit jccc.edu/foundation or call the JCCC Foundation at 913-469-3835. Admission will be $125 with additional patron levels available.

More than 500 artists, art dealers and art aficionados from Chicago, Wichita, Little Rock, Ark., and other cities across the nation are expected to attend. They will include friends from Sotheby's in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Also that evening, the Nerman will unveil more than 15 new gifts from the Oppenheimers. They will include another stunning painting from Dana Schutz, whose Swimming, Smoking, Crying graced the cover of Art in America in November. Other artists exhibiting new works will be Nick Cave, Kim Dorland, Asad Faulwell, Kirk Hayes, Angel Otero, Cordy Ryman, Kent Michael Smith, Stefanie Gutheil, Lonnie Powell, Ian Davis, Allison Schulnik, Leidy Churchman, Brian Calvin, Warren Inessee and Brian Tolle

Recent Work

                                                   Les Femmes D'Alger #17 48"x36" 2012

                                          Les Femmes D'Alger #16 60"x168" 2012

                                                    Zohra 16"x12" 2012

My Show at Kravets/Wehby has been extended through June 15th

Asad Faulwell's Empty Vessels has been extended through Friday, June 15th, 2012. 

Les Femmes D'Alger #16 60x168 click for larger version

Stop by and check it out!

For further information please call the gallery at (212) 352-2238 or email info@kravetswehbygallery.com.

"Empty Vessels" at Kravets/Wehby Gallery in New York

My second solo show with Kravets/Wehby opens May 3rd 6-8 PM in New York.  The show runs from May 3-June 9.
kravets/wehby

Detail from Les Femmes D'Alger #15

Article by Yasmine Mohseni for The Huffington Post

After a recent studio visit Yasmine Mohseni wrote this article/interview in the Huffington Post as part of her series "Beyond the White Cube".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yasmine-mohseni/asad-fauwell-art_b_1314251.html

Disorder @ Kravets/Wehby Gallery Opening February 23rd

I will have a new piece in "Disorder" at Kravets/Wehby in New York.

The artists included in the show are Nina Chanel Abney, Michael Bevilacqua, Iona Rozeal Brown, Benjamin Edwards, Asad Faulwell, Wendell Gladstone, JP Munro, Justin Samson, Tom Sanford and Christian Schumann

February 23 - March 24, 2012
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 23, 6 - 8 pm

Kravets/Wehby Gallery

Surrounded by an excess of visual stimulation it often becomes difficult to focus. When faced with such an abundance of spectacular color and energy, one can do nothing more then succumb to the sensory overload. Finding ourselves in the presence of an abundance of exciting things, we could not help ourselves and slowly the collection of visible disorder emerged. Nina Chanel Abney’s mix of portraiture and narrative painting deals with controversial issues by inserting characters based on real people into imaginative worlds. Luminous silver works, painted with metallic lacquer byMichael Bevilacqua are musically influenced and adorned with lyrical text. The geisha subject matter in the work of Iona Rozeal Brown also touches on global influence of African American culture, illustrated by bold shape and imagery. The fractured landscapes created by Benjamin Edwards are visionary. Frenzied clusters of color shift into a woman’s face emerging from a dense cityscape. The seductive quality is mirrored in the work of Asad Faulwell, whose historically based portraits are saturated with bold color and mesmerizing detail. Wendell Gladstone’s quiet portrait weaves together the elements of the piece in a beautiful and focused way while the epic battle in a painting by JP Munro embodies opulence and elegant ritual. Justin Samson continues his exploration with fake fur, vibrant color and universal communication, blurring the lines between time and space. Tom Sanfordacknowledges a passing in time with a serene homage to Steve Jobs, speaking on his ambivalence about American culture. The dense visual flow in the work of Christian Schumann merges organic elements with technological forms. With no restraint from the artists, the calculated chaos is guaranteed to send the mind spinning with creative stimulation.

To Live and Paint in L.A. @ Torrance Art Museum

I will have a new piece in this fantastic group show Opening January 21st.


To Live and Paint in LA
Curated by Max Presneill and Jason Ramos

Opening reception Saturday, January 21st, 6-9 pm

A broad survey of current and emerging painting trends and talent from Los Angeles
Jonathan Apgar, Rebecca Campbell, Daniela Campins, Alika Cooper, Noah Davis, Tomory Dodge, Asad Faulwell, Jon Flack, Yvette Gellis, Iva Gueorguieva, Mary Addison Hackett, Carlson Hatton, Thomas Whittaker Kidd, Andy Kolar, Constance Mallison, Allison Miller, John Mills, Aaron Noble, Antonio Puleo, Alison Rash, Nano Rubio, Conrad Ruiz, John Seal, Ryan Sluggett, Comora Tolliver, Chris Trueman, Miller Updegraff, Grant Vetter, Ben White

Upcoming Exhibitions

*Group Show at Kravets/Wehby Gallery in New York, NY February, 2012

*To Live and Paint in L.A. @ The Torrance Art Museum Torrance, CA
January 21-March 10, 2012
Curated by Max Presneill and Jason Ramos

Artists: Jonathan Apgar, Rebecca Campbell, Daniela Campins, Alika Cooper, Tomory Dodge, Asad Faulwell, Jon Flack, Yvette Gellis, Iva Gueorguieva, Mary Addison Hackett, Carlson Hatton, Thomas Whittaker Kidd, Andy Kolar, Constance Mallison, Allison Miller, John Mills, Aaron Noble, Antonio Puleo, Alison Rash, Nano Rubio, Conrad Ruiz, John Seal, Ryan Sluggett, Comora Tolliver, Chris Trueman, Miller Updegraff, Grant Vetter, Ben White.

Torrance Art Museum

*Emerging Voices from Iran and Iranian Diaspora @ Art Asia Miami, FL
November 30-December 4th 2012
Curated by Kashya Hildebrand
Soody Sharifi, Hadieh Shafie, Aghighi Bakhshayeshi, Maryam Ashkanian, Asad Faulwell, Sissi Farassat