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Reka Portrays Abstract Greek-Inspired Figures in His New Exhibition, “OLYMPVS”

Australian artist Reka (covered here), now based in Berlin, has become recognized for the colorful and energetic aesthetic of his graffiti and paintings. The figures in his work have a variety of characteristics that are whimsical, yet bold and vigorous. His new body of work, "OLYMPVS," on view at AvantGarden Gallery in Italy, continues to mix contradicting styles. Inspired by scenes from Ancient Greece and its Mount Olympus, Reka's new pieces combine classical themes with a futuristic look. In poppy, vibrant colors, fragmented into Cubist compositions, he depicts bathing nudes, marble busts, and still life.

Australian artist Reka (covered here), now based in Berlin, has become recognized for the colorful and energetic aesthetic of his graffiti and paintings. The figures in his work have a variety of characteristics that are whimsical, yet bold and vigorous. His new body of work, “OLYMPVS,” on view at AvantGarden Gallery in Italy, continues to mix contradicting styles. Inspired by scenes from Ancient Greece and its Mount Olympus, Reka’s new pieces combine classical themes with a futuristic look. In poppy, vibrant colors, fragmented into Cubist compositions, he depicts bathing nudes, marble busts, and still life. As his subjects are drawn in layers of abstract, geometric shapes, Reka adds depth and dimension to his version of ancient Greece with soft shading. His images recall what we can imagine to be the excitement and romance of this historical period, specifically Hellenistic Greece, a time that celebrated humans, gods, and heroes alike. The exhibition spans fifteen new paintings on linen cloth, as well as two new murals that were painted nearby in the city of Milan. Check out more photos from the exhibition below, courtesy of the artist.

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James Reka Exhibits Vivid and Abstract New Works in “Mirage”

Strong, clean lines and cubist inspired characters in vivid colors have long been the main signifiers of Berlin based artist James Reka's, aka Reka's, paintings. His previous works, featured here on our blog, depict geometrical figures but the choice of colors, the backgrounds, and the style have dramatically changed over the past few years. His graffiti background is becoming less evident as Reka is increasingly interested in abstraction, and his new work may be his most enigmatic.

Preview: Reka and Two One at StolenSpace Gallery

Both based in Berlin by way of Australia, Two One and Reka (see our recent studio visit here) are exhibiting together at StolenSpace Gallery in London in two concurrent solo shows: Reka's "Trip the Light" and Two One's "The Hunted Hunter's Head." Inspired by the graceful movements of dancers from a young age, Reka (whose mother was a ballerina) presents a series of paintings that pay homage to the fluid, abstract shapes the body can make. His Cubist-inspired paintings might have one imagining a toe-tapping soundtrack of jazz or even the swell of a symphony, but Reka tempers these allusions to older, more traditional art forms with gritty paint textures that evoke his graffiti roots.

Peter Gronquist’s “All of the Above” Explores Familiar Themes in New Ways

Photos by Mik Luxon On July 25th, Hi-Fructose attended the opening of Peter Gronquist's solo exhibition "All of the Above" at Soze Gallery in Los Angeles. As recently discussed, the artist has embarked on more abstract and conceptual explorations than in previous works. For this exhibit, he chose to expand on multiple recurring themes in his art, and techniques using more varied color, form, depth and stillness - and with surprising results. Gronquist's paintings, for example, are created using sanded plexiglass over hand-painted drop boxes, creating a foggy, luminous effect. This process flattens the image to the surface while simultaneously dropping the image back. Gronquist says, "It's hard to explain without seeing in person, I best describe it as a glowing effect."

Mike Perry’s “Intoxicating Pollen Wiggling in a Moist Journey of Constantly Blooming Tides”

New York based painter and illustrator Mike Perry is an artist working in a variety of mediums, once describing his collection of works as having an "antsy" energy. He doodles around the clock, whether creating new typefaces for his graphic design work or new burst of colorful characters that amass in his paintings. At his website, he writes that his creative goal is "to conjure that feeling of soul-soaring wonder you have when you stare into distant galaxies on a dark night, when you go on long journeys into the imagination, when you ponder what it is that this life is all about."
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