SEXƎƧ at Rehs Contemporary is the third collaborative with the Ani Art Academies, showcasing Contemporary Academic Realism from their top instructors, alumni and apprentices. Opening April 18th , 2015, the exhibition will feature more than 40 masterfully executed paintings and drawings from the best that Ani has to offer.
Here at Rehs Contemporary, our ultimate goal is to celebrate the brilliant, the talented, and the dedicated through exhibitions featuring established and up and coming contemporary artists in the academic field. With our roots firmly planted in a 19th century foundation, we make it a priority to present works from today’s artists who demonstrate superior technical skills alongside some of the most well respected painters in history.
Some artists used SEXƎƧ as a way to open the discussion to controversial topics relating to gender; concepts that explore the boundaries of societal norms and sexual identity. At the same time, others chose to travel a very different path; one of love, beauty and desires. Altogether, it makes for a very exciting exhibit filled with beautiful works of art that are sure to inspire and intrigue while hopefully bringing some enjoyment to your life.
Timothy Jahn, Head instructor of Ani Art Academies Anguilla, explores a male stereotype through his work “Self,” which deals with the rough and aggressive mentality often associated with masculinity. He asks “What is it that makes men so aggressive?” all the while harking back to his childhood days filled with contact sports, like football and wrestling, and remembering the feelings of self-expression through his aggression. He points out this thing deep within men that wants to get out; a desire to hold your ground… “It was like I was saying to the world, this is how I feel inside and let me show you through the contact on someone else’s body,” he continues however, “as I have matured, my ability to communicate is now through paint.”
The show truly encompasses such a range of subjects. For example, Emma Hirst’s “Peacocking,” examines the “role of sexual selection in nature, and how that has changed in the wake of modern society,” whereas Lynne Garlick’s “Received With Love” and “S.W.A.L.K,” highlight love and romance in our everyday life by telling an intimate story of her parents love, “taking them through a war, adoption, birth and deaths but always with an abundance of love.”
We are pleased to welcome back highly esteemed artists, Anthony J. Waichulis (director of The Ani Art Academies, Waichulis), Timothy W. Jahn (director of The Ani Art Academies, Anguilla), Ed Dillon, (director of The Ani Art Academies, Dominican Republic), Tim Reynolds (founder of the Ani Art Academies project), Brandon Drake, Erika Baez, Helen Crispino, Jay Davenport and Stuart Dunkel, along with many others.
Be sure to visit www.rehs.com for additional information regarding this special event in the coming months. Rehs Contemporary Galleries, Inc. is located at 5 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022. For more information regarding the gallery, call (212) 355-5710 or visit their website www.rehs.com. And for more information on the Ani Art Academies please visit www.aniwaichulis.com and www.aniartacademies.org.
