Loaded, Nailed, Short on Cash Dan Attoe

 

For this exhibition, Attoe will forsake the physical "product" of his labors by including large-scale neon works and unique light box works that supercede their original painted source material. New drawings will also reference recurring themes of artistic succession, the mythical blue-collar work ethic, text vs. subtext, and the sublime.

 

Visitors to the gallery will begin their investigation of Attoe's new work by experiencing sensory overload: dodging through a claustrophobic waiting space, stepping over accumulated detritus, inhaling smoke and spilled drinks, finally beholding fantasy-size exaggerations of familiar neon bar signs-or more precisely, their derivative essences plummeted miles deep into the collective unconscious of the drinking classes. To the uninitiated, a brief flash of "not another art bar, please no, oh God please no" may temporarily take hold, but be forewarned: Attoe keeps it real. Extremely real. And this realness is one of Attoe's favorite stomping grounds. Here he creates the psychological architecture of optimism and escapism, crafted for contemplation and perhaps amusement but never failing to acknowledge its true context.

 

Dan Attoe (b. 1975, Washington) lives and works in Washington State and will be present for the opening. Attoe's work will be included in the upcoming 8th Northwest Biennial at the Tacoma Art Museum, Washington, curated by Rock Hushka and David Kiehl. Recent exhibitions include "You Have More Freedom Than You're Using," Peres Projects, Berlin, and "You Get What You Deserve," Vilma Gold, London. A catalog of Dan Attoe's work was recently published by the gallery.