Juxtapoz Magazine – Gregory Rick’s “Party at Megiddo” @ BEYOND THE STREETS, Los Angeles

Past THE STREETS is pleased to announce Get together at Megiddo, the LA solo debut from Oakland-based mostly visible artist Gregory Rick. A  receiver of SFMOMA’s 2022 SECA Artwork Award, latest graduate of Stanford University’s MFA art exercise system, and participant in Over and above THE STREETS’ inaugural Submit Graffiti exhibition, Rick will showcase a new assortment of perform that builds on the style of record portray, describing his art as discovering “the identified, the obscure, and the overlooked”, although questioning the who’s and why’s of record.

A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rick’s perform is impressed by own activities, but is not entirely private. It tells stories that reflect his life as it relates to a dialogue with the wider planet. Exactly where myth provides voice to the underbelly, the lumpen in tandem exhibiting the familiar and grandiose. His function tethers together seemingly opposing ideas in between the private, the historic and the political. 

“I’m painting on a shaky historical line cemented in humility and conviction. I occupy my pics with characters who provide as archetypes in conjunction with memory and self-exploration reflecting on the absurdness and monumentality of background,” Rick shares.

The title for Rick’s clearly show combines two words that seem inextricably opposing nonetheless cemented in cognitive dissonance. Megiddo is a reference to the fight of Armageddon, currently being the town in which the excellent very last battle was prophesied to happen. It references a celebration at the remaining fight of humanity, questioning the uncertain times we stay in, where we fast feed the fire of the anthropocene, on cruise control in the speedy lane to extinction with these reckless ferocity it almost looks as if we are celebrating our individual demise. The exhibition has couple of answers but rather reflects and fosters several questions as Rick ponders a vital element of this modern day moment.

Rick’s fondness for artwork began about the time his father was sentenced to jail for manslaughter. It served as the two a signifies of gaining agency in a chaotic childhood – as one particular has command of the narrative in one’s individual photos – and as a relationship with his father via the meticulous copying of illustrations from an aged army encyclopedia that he still left powering before staying incarcerated. When faculties in his region stopped offering art courses, Rick became infatuated with the art that was commonly offered, which was graffiti. He would devote his existence to deciphering the cryptic language, which led to trouble with the legislation, which includes charges that had been ultimately cleared following Rick enlisted in the Military. There he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, with whom he fought in Iraq from 2005 to 2006. 

After his enlistment time period was up, Rick identified it challenging to change back again to his old everyday living and eventually observed himself homeless and having difficulties with a range of issues. He continue to carried all around pen and paper and would attract for the exact motives that determined him in his youth. During this seminal issue in his existence, he sought assistance from the neighborhood Veterans Affairs office environment, where by artwork turned a critical factor of his restoration.

“Gregory Rick’s do the job speaks about electric power and anguish, great and evil. About resiliency. He contextualizes these narratives by mining the complexities of our collective past and sharing views normally omitted in historic accounts. His capability to shine a light-weight on the oppressed and forgotten is a triumph that we’re happy and enthusiastic to share with Los Angeles,” suggests gallery director Dante Parel. 

Over and above THE STREETS Gallery
434 N La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036