New Image Art is pleased present a solo project “American Fizzle” with Los Angeles based painter Luke Pelletier featuring new paintings, drawings, sculptures, hand-forged knives, and furniture. Luke’s visual language is heavily influenced by graphic design and spot-color print advertising elements. Luke’s paintings stem from a genuine interest and engagement with popular culture and advertising. Much of Luke’s art blurs the lines between celebrating and condemning a culture that agrees to be taken advantage of while it takes advantage of others. Through the paintings, Luke riffs on commonplace subjects including romance, politics, design, and his own personal narrative of ups & downs.
Spending much of his life in North Carolina, Luke was surrounded by a robust, yet declining, blue-collar furniture industry, as well as flea markets where he’d collect tchotchkes and hand-made-craft objects that would later inform the content of his work. As a 2nd generation blacksmith, Luke’s interest in craft can be seen in his hand forged railroad-tie and rasp knives made in his father’s shop. The paintings featured in “American Fizzle” are decidedly and unapologetically American as referenced by their content, primary color palette, and installation presentation.
The exhibition runs in our project room from February 10th to March 3rd with normal gallery hours or by appointment. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Sat, February 10th from 7 to 10 pm in the main gallery at New Image Art. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 1pm to 6pm or by appointment.
