theskywasfilledwitha1000starswhilethesunkissedthemountainsblueand11moonsplayedacrosstherainbows Jim Drain

Peres Projects is pleased to announce the first US solo exhibition of Jim Drain, theskywasfilledwitha1000starswhilethesunkissedthemountainsblueand11moonsplayedacrosstherainbows. A new body of work consisting of large scale sculptures, drawings, collages and prints will be on view.

Drain’s works are a collision of colors, shapes and patterns that fuck with the eyes, neither coherent, nor completely abstract, the images that emerge create a complex visual terrain that causes a painful kind of excitement. This painful excitement is at the core of Drain’s multi-colored works – sort of a rainbow sherbet effect – which have a disorienting power over the viewer, while developing a strong sense of subconscious comfort. With influences ranging from African and Pre-Columbian primitivism, artistic movements such as Op Art, Futurism, Surrealism, Abstraction, as well as, comic and coloring books, Drain’s use of repetition of simple forms and colors are reminiscent of fireworks, rainbows, broken television monitors, and what sound would look like if we could see sound.

Jim Drain (b. 1975, Ohio) lives and works in Providence, RI where he received a BA from the Rhode Island School of Design. His work has been previously seen at 2002 Whitney Biennial (as part of the collective Forcefield); the 2003 Lyon Biennial; and, Collection (or, How I Spent a Year), curated by Bob Nickas, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center. Recent and upcoming gallery exhibitions include Greene-Naftalli, NY; Daniel Reich Gallery, NY; "Optimo: Manifestations of Optimism in Contemporary Art," Ballroom Marfa (curated by Alexander Gray); and, the Moore Space (curated by Larry Rinder). His work has been reviewed in the New York Times, ArtForum, Artnet.com, among other publications and is in the permanent collection of The Whitney Museum of American Art.

theskywasfilledwitha1000starswhilethesunkissedthemountainsblueand11moonsplayedacrosstherainbows by Jim Drain will be on view at Peres Projects, Los Angeles (969 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, CA 90012) through October 23, 2004. Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, from 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M and by appointment.