Logan Hicks Announces 'Thin Veils And Heavy Anchors' Exhibit

Acclaimed New York-based street and stencil art visionary LOGAN HICKS today announced Thin Veils And Heavy Anchors, a new solo showing of his work in Los Angeles, CA. Thin Veils And Heavy Anchors will debut at LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) on March 8, 2013 and run through March 10, 2013, and marks a triumphant return for an artist whose works have been shown in Auckland, Cape Town, Shanghai, Taipei, and just about everywhere in between.

Originally a professional screen printer, Hicks' work has gained considerable global recognition for its exploration of the urban environment and its ability to capture the sometimes-mundane cycle of city life in a haunting, yet highly refined, manner using hand-sprayed stencils. His new body of work has evolved. The paintings have moved inside: from endless streets of colorful building facades up to six feet in scale to more intimate interior settings; from exterior cityscapes to the interiors of various buildings; and from distant lights to the direct gaze of figures who are in the process of walking away or climbing up stairs; shapes and curves of emotionless figures juxtaposed against the rigid linework of architecture bring attention to the contradictions of the city.

"I used to get the crap beat out of me daily. Every day as I got off the school bus, I was beat to the point where I just wish I could disappear. Become invisible. I was a 6ft tall, skinny, suicidal, insecure redhead who didn't have the confidence to stand up for myself. Those years sucked. I stood out like a sore thumb. It wasn't until I left for college that I found my 'home,'"said Hicks. "I arrived in the city of Baltimore for college and for the first time since elementary school, nobody noticed me. Nobody called me names. Nobody tried to beat me up. I had finally succeeded in pulling a thin veil over the awkwardness that had followed me for most of my life. I was normal. I had become part of the fabric of my environment. It was the most amazing feeling. Ever since then, I have been in love with the city. The potential it represents. The freedom. I feel more attached to the city that I live in than the people that live within it. The city has become my anchor."

When looking at Hicks' current work, one starts to realize that the minimal scenes are metaphors for the decisions one makes in life. Breathtaking and meticulous, this body of paintings is not about one man's journey as much as it is represents the possibilities of the world. As much as we all strive for a struggle-free live, it's clear that it's the struggle that defines us.

Hicks adds "I've always seen my architectural pieces like stages for plays that haven't yet happened. Each element has its own personality. Each building is a metaphor for that which is about to happen. Doors open worlds, stairs elevate, hallways lead to the future, walls represent adversity. The architecture painted is not literal - it is the architecture of the mind."

"For over three decades, LACE has been bringing together innovative and visionary artists with a passionate and curious public," said LACE Executive Director Carol Stakenas. "We're thrilled to be hosting the first solo exhibition of Logan's work in Los Angeles -- it's a great match for Hollywood and the Walk of Fame."

Logan Hicks is managed by Pat Magnarella and Roger Klein at Pat Magnarella Management Inc. in Encinitas, California.

"Working with Pat and Roger is a new era for me," said Hicks. "Being a good artist means more than being able to paint. It means making the right decisions on who align yourself with. Picking the people you work with is just as critical as picking the right paint to use. Now, by joining Pat and Roger I feel like I can focus on what I do best - translating the ideas and images that I have in my head."

ABOUT LOGAN HICKS
Logan Hicks is a New York-based artist. Stenciling started as a substitution for screen-printing, but quickly morphed into Logan's medium of choice. An ideal union was formed through these stencils: the dirty and gritty nature of spray paint showcasing the decay of the city, while the muTed Shine of metallic paint mirrored the faint glimmer of hope within it. It is this symbiotic relationship with the city that fuels Logan's work. Having mastered the technique, Hicks has learned new language, and has been refining what it is that he is saying, and he uses whatever medium or approach is necessary to bring the ideas in his head to the canvas, and his newer paintings are native to his lexicon. Making art is an internal struggle more than it is a physical one. A complete list of his exhibitions can be found below.

ABOUT Pat Magnarella MANAGEMENT INC.
Pat Magnarella, a highly respected music manager along with Roger Klein, a former major record label Artists & Repertoire person, conceived of a "disruptive art business model" in which they neither strived to be "agents" or gallerists but instead to insure that their clients would be protected, nurtured, marketed and most of all branded internationally. Magnarella was quoted in the Telegraph saying, "We aren't interested in just having the art world knowing about our artists...we want the whole world to know about them." Their clients include urban artist Logan Hicks, who will have a "pop-up" gallery show in Los Angeles in March 2013, Chris LeVine, whose iconic portrait of the Queen currently hangs in Buckingham Palace, Richie Culver, whose art was just named by GQ Magazine as "ONE OF THE 100 BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD TODAY," and English fine artist Charming Baker, whose "pop-up" gallery show in London last year generated over $4 million in sales on opening night. Magnarella and Klein have been interviewed by the BBC, SkyNews, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, GQ Magazine, Elle, W and more.

ABOUT LACE
Since 1978, LACE has fostered artists who innovate, experiment, explore, and risk. We move within and beyond our four walls to provide opportunities for diverse publics to engage deeply with contemporary art. In doing so, we further dialogue and participation between and among artists and those publics.

Founded in 1978 by a small group of artists, LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) has become an internationally recognized pioneer among art institutions. Uniquely positioned among commercial galleries and major art establishments, our nonprofit organization provides a local venue that advocates and exhibits innovations in art-making. By encouraging experimentation, LACE has nurtured not only several generations of young artists, but also newly emerging art forms such as performance art, video art, digital art, and installation-based work. LACE has presented the work of over 5,000 artists in over 3,000 programs and events, which have provided the impetus for dialogue about contemporary arts and culture for over 30 years. For more information and programs please visit www.welcometolace.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.