Amsterdam’s Andenken Gallery premieres two tandem exhibits on Oct. 28: Evan Hecox’s “Northern” and Drew Leshko’s “Heaven is Whenever.” Hecox, an artist based in Denver, Colorado, uses his cinematic style to depict urban environments and scenes; Philadelphia’s Drew Leshko crafts paper-based sculpture that extracts objects, structures, and vehicles from similar backdrops. While this is Hecox’s fourth show in the Netherlands, Leshko shows in Amsterdam for the first time with his exhibition.
On Hecox’s Artsy page, a biography describes the artist as distilling “the urban environment in his art, transforming the city into graphic elements in prints, drawings, and mixed-media works.” For his urban scenes, the artist begins with a photograph he snaps, and then deconstructs and construct a graphical take. He also experiments with typography, whether using newspaper or more traditional backgrounds. Fifteen new works are present in this show.
Leshko creates “documentary studies of architecture” with his works, using the elements of paper and wood to build domestic and commercial buildings, vehicles, and other detailed structures that seem ripped from memories. A series like “Home is Where You Park It” takes a look at recreational vehicles and trailers, whether as full models or as profile perspectives. Works are often in the 1:12 classic dollhouse scale.
The two exhibitions, part of a partnership with Makerversity Amsterdam, run through Nov. 14 at the gallery.
Philadelphia based artist 
Philadelphia’s Drew Leshko has been lauded for his miniatures depicting urban storefronts and objects, crafted in paper and wood. In the sculptor’s “Signs” series, in particular, we find the architecture of signage given an accurate and intimate portrayal. The artist recently shared some of those recent markers in a show with at Paradigm Gallery + Studio. (In 2016, we visited the artist’s studio, and you can find that story 