See Photos from the Opening Reception of MAAC on the Map Edition II

Yikui Gu: “My paintings are an attempt to probe these areas using visual elements from sneakerhead culture, found internet images, Ikea catalogues and personal photos and art historical references. Through this combination of political, cultural and domestic imagery I hope to affirm and subvert the modern human condition.”

Alexis Duque: “Through the use of exaggerated drama and distortion, my work attempts to challenge the way the viewer confronts the idea of consumerism and urbanization within contemporary culture and draw the viewer’s attention to the isolation of the transitory residents, like semi-nomads that emigrate hoping to find a better life on the outskirts of large metropolises”

Allan Gorman: “Although I paint in a realistic style, my focus isn’t necessarily on the precise rendering of objects, but rather on conveying the abstract information created by – and within – those objects. I ask viewers to share a journey of discovery with me and hope they’ll become as excited and fascinated and moved as I am about the beauty that can be found in what’s often taken for commonplace and mundane.”

Alicia Degener: “Brilliant and vibrant color combined with a wonky sense of perspective bring movement to my paintings and a fresh view on city landscapes. Unusual cropping and framing of images add to the overall look of my artwork. I often incorporate text and imagery I find in street signs to give a narrative sometimes ironic or humorous to my artwork.”

Chrisina Massey: “I “kill” my traditionally framed paintings by cutting and tearing them apart, then mend them together by thread, a series of knots or weaving them together again giving them new life as a different form.”

Sarah B. Whalen: “In my work I try to capture this dichotomy between the beautiful and the grotesque. Hands, legs and blankets are all morphed together in a maze of linework to show the experience of sex.”