Scratching the Surface Nurit Avesar Light's Embrace Nancy Ivanhoe Re-envision Antonio Kim Opening Reception: Saturday, August 3rd, 5pm-9pm August 3 - 24, 2024  Gallery Hours: Thursday & Friday: 12pm - 4pm Saturday: 12pm - 5pm LAUNCH Gallery 170 S. La Brea Ave Los Angeles, CA 90036 LAUNCH Gallery is proud to present three solo shows of Los Angeles based artists, Nurit Avesar, Nancy Ivanhoe and Antonio Kim. These artists were selected from a group of 28 artists juried into Contemplating Boundaries, an open-call juried exhibition, by TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Otis College) and Mika Cho (Cal State LA) presented at The Korean Cultural Center in July, 2023. Their command of materials present inspiring examples of contemporary art making today in Los Angeles. Nurit Avesar "My work is about the process of interweaving deconstruction and reconstruction. I paint and then sand the surfaces, digging, extracting, and building, adding and tearing away. This process alludes to the abuse of power throughout history. It is about vulnerability, destruction and beauty. I start by painting with acrylic on paper or canvas. I then paste a sheet of paper on the painted surface and sand the entire area, repeating this process several times. I embed thread, cheese cloth, rust and other materials in between the sanded layers. I sand, scrub, collage and dig to discover remnants of the original painting through the fragments of multiple layers. The final surface, painted in oil, is an amalgamation of sanded layers, fresh painted areas, and re-discovered remnants of the original painting. The unusual treatment of the surfaces produces a final work that deals with the repercussion of abuse and changes and appears to be much like an archeological site where history is being unearthed." Nancy Ivanhoe "Influenced by the California Light & Space Movement and a background in dance, my sculptures explore the interplay of light, color, and movement. I use industrial metal screen as a semi-transparent canvas, which I paint and manipulate into lightweight encasements that react to each other and filter transmitted light. My process draws from the Martha Graham School of Dance where breath is the wellspring of all movement. I manipulate the metal screen to expand, contract and enfold into forms that appear between the inhale and exhale of a breath or the trajectory of a gesture. My pieces are further activated by a viewer’s movement around them. Each sculpture is best understood as a composite of various perspectives. As one walks around each piece or redirects the lighting, there are transitions in how composition, shadow, and color are perceived. Overlapped colors blend, hidden passageways are revealed, and currents of moiré shimmer across the faceted layers. I’m inspired to create sculptures that are not only visually compelling, but also encapsulate this fluidity of movement within an otherwise static industrial medium. Through repeated viewings, my work offers shifting perceptions that illuminate both the dimensionality and ephemerality of light, color, and motion." Antonio Kim - Gateway Antonio Kim "Growing up, traditional Korean ceramic forms were always revered and treasured in my eyes. They stood as testaments to long-established static and unchanging societal and cultural values of Korea. However, as an adult, I strive to challenge this narrative—not to diminish the reverence these ceramic forms command, but to innovate upon them in a way that encapsulates a deeper, more nuanced understanding of Korean-centric emotions of the modern. For me, human emotion is a pivotal vehicle for connecting external cultures to the Korean understanding of self and place within the broader world. Through ceramics, particularly porcelain, I convey my own historical comprehension of Koreanness, while also acknowledging the influence of my American background through the manipulation of the ceramic forms. The tactile, three-dimensional nature of ceramics allows my audience to engage fully with my artwork, creating an immersive emotional experience. I aim to create artworks that resonate on a profound emotional level, fostering a deeper connection and understanding between diverse cultural perspectives." About the Artists Nurit Avesar is a mixed media artist and a painter. Her process-based images are combinations of the faded, ghostly images of the initial layer that blend and merge with the bolder, brighter final layers. She states, “History is not linear; it is interwoven with present and future. I have always been fascinated by the effect of history on the present, and the way current events and decisions determine the future.” She recently curated the exhibition “First Response” at Keystone Gallery in Los Angeles. Avesar was the 2010 recipient of the Cal State University Dean Art Purchase Award. Avesar is a member of the Kipaipai Fellows directed by Andi Campognone, director of the Lancaster Museum of Art and History. She was the National Women’s Caucus for the Arts (NWCA) July Featured Artist, and in her work was featured in Artillery Magazine, November-December 2022. She is represented by Janssen Artspace in Palm Springs, CA. Nurit Avesar was born in a Kibbutz in Israel. She moved to Los Angeles in her early 20’s. During her early career she worked as a graphic designer and an illustrator. In 2010, she completed a MA in Studio Art at California State University, Northridge. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles Nancy Ivanhoe is an artist based in Los Angeles. While pursuing her MFA in New Genres at San Francisco Art Institute (2013), she explored the interplay of light and shadow by capturing the movement of shadow across her studio walls through drawing. With this work she was awarded the Murphy and Cadogan Contemporary Art Award (2012) and featured in New American Paintings, No 111, MFA Annual (2014). Since moving to Los Angeles in 2017, she has combined her exploration of light and shadow with her background in modern dance, to create sculptural forms of metal screen that explore the interplay of transparent color, shape and movement and how these elements work together as metaphors for relationship dynamics. Her sculptural work has been featured on the cover of the 12th Annual Drawing Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing (2021) and the introduction of FOA Friend of the Artist, Volume 14 (2022). Ivanhoe’s artwork has been exhibited internationally and commissioned works are in private and corporate collections. She continues to explore the intersection of dance dynamics with the spatial awareness evoked by static forms. Antonio Kim, a Korean-American artist from Long Beach, California, is redefining the traditional Korean ceramic form through a modern lens. With a profound appreciation for historical artistry, Antonio holds a BFA in International Policy Studies from Reed College, which enriches his understanding of pivotal historical artworks and informs the rich history that impacts his creative process. Antonio's work embarks on a thoughtful exploration of how to convey the rich historical knowledge of Korean ceramics from the 13th to the 17th century to a modern audience. His medium of choice is porcelain, a tribute to the master potters of bygone eras. By primarily utilizing his hands as his main tool, he aims to revive the authentic Korean throwing experience, creating artworks that resonate with both tradition and modernity. Antonio Kim's art bridges the past and present, reflecting his dedication to preserving and modernizing the rich heritage of Korean ceramics. Most recently, Antonio has won awards from the City of Costa Mesa for his redefinition of the Korean “Maebyeong” ceramic form and was invited as a guest lecturer at Cal State University Channel Islands. He has been recognized by the Santa Paula Art Museum as a 30 under 30 in the state of California and has featured on prominent Korean publications such as The Korea Daily, Korea Times, and SBS America. LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community for all through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing all artists regardless of background, race, color, creed or sexual orientation with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to curious and enthusiastic audiences at our Gallery and at important happenings throughout Los Angeles County.