New York based artist Jim McKenzie, who is also an accomplished animation director, once said that his dream is to rebuild Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. His upcoming debut solo show entitled “Lost Magic” comes pretty close. Opening on June 4th at Copro Gallery in Los Angeles, McKenzie’s exhibit invites viewers to enter into his surreal imagination: new paintings and hand-painted resin sculptures of fun and playful characters that recall our favorite childhood fairy tales with a twist.
Two years in the making, some of the wacky characters inhabiting McKenzie’s candy colored world include a magical Disney-esque scarecrow, a pink half-unicorn, half-racoon smiling with rabid delight, and even a bright blue furry caterpillar with a face modeled after the artist’s pet pug. Though highly fantastical, to the point of being ridiculous, and painted in happy colors, McKenzie’s work is riddled with an underlining darkness, depicting themes of loss and death.
“I wanted to showcase the intersection where beauty and sadness intertwine within,” McKenzie says. “I’ve chosen to create contrasting hybrids and though they have these brilliant colors and seemingly majestic qualities, ultimately, they are all outcasts. This show is for those who’ve lost touch with the magic this world has to offer and for those who still want to see it.” “Lost Magic” will be on view through June 25th, 2016.
Isaac Cordal brings new sculptures to C.O.A. Galerie in Montreal with "Ego Monuments," his distinctive everyman showing the solitude of contemporary living. Alongside his balding figures is a depicting of the U.S.'s embattled leader in "Game of Thrones" and human-faced livestock grazing an urban puddle. The show runs through Oct. 12. (Cordal was last featured on our site 
Tracey Snelling's installations are immersive blends of sculpture, video, and photography, her makeshift buildings containing surprises in their windows and corners. Her recent, massive construction at the 58th Venice Biennale reflects on her experiences living in China, in particular. Videos shown within offer peeks into her experiences with friends; structures are inspired by actual places she visited.
Ceramicist 
Lucy McRae's new "Compression Carpet offers a full embrace for those who feel like they need a hug, a meditation on how technology can aid intimacy or support. The "body architect" recently showed the device at Festival of the Impossible in San Francisco. For some, the device may recall the hug machine created by Temple Grandin for stress relief and therapy. With her device, McCrae says, you "relinquish control to the hands of a stranger as your 'servicer' decides the firmness of your hug."