REFRESHING NEW WORK TO CELEBRATE
COMMENCEMENT OF LOCAL GALLERY PROGRAM
• E 36th St @ Linden Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807 •
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Co-Guest-Curator, bonnieKate
(213) 466-4498
Email: bonnieKate@gmail.com
Web: www.bonnieKate.com
August 1, 2005
Show Runs: August 15th, 2005 – November 4th, 2005
Gallery Hours: Sundays from 9:00a.m. – 1:00 p.m., or by appointment
Opening Reception: Monday, August 15th, 2005, 7:00 -10:00 p.m.
Closing Reception: Friday, November 4th, 2005, 7:00 -10:00 p.m.
LONG BEACH, CA –Labrys Contemporary Arts Gallery, Long Beach will be opening its doors to the community for the last time in its current format. For the past three years, the gallery has been a showcase to several prominent artists including local painter Dan Callis, as well as Claudia Alverez, and Rupert Loydell.
The gallery’s last public showing will be the first to feature the intrinsically new and spectacular work of premier artist, Phil Frank.
“After viewing Frank’s work I feel refreshed, as if I just listened to Eno for the first time. His work is truthful, a rare quality in today’s entertainment driven art world.” says co-guest-curator Jessica Lynn. Frank enters the art world with a background in journalism and sociology.
Frank’s art has been described as raw, highly energetic visual compositions of color and line. His new body of work is a playful departure from contemporary pop art as well as stereotypical trends in culture.
Inspired by John Cage’s artistic theory and the work of Arshile Gorky and Stan Brakhage, Frank describes the experience of art as “a chance to suspend Ego, instilling in us a new, purer bravery.”
The celebratory gala will also entail a musical performance by artist David Almeida, as well as live readings of Frank’s written work at the closing event. Paintings by the up-and-coming Southern California artist will be showing through Friday, November 4th.
Gallery hours will be Sundays from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. or by appointment. A closing reception will be held from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. on November 4th.
Labrys Contemporary Art Gallery is a non-profit, fine art gallery located at 36th Street and Linden Avenue in Long Beach, CA on the campus of Grace Brethren Church.
Founded in Spring of 2000 under the direction of photographer Ira Lippke along with the help of John Tubera, director of arts and worship at Grace Brethren church Long
Beach, the 600 square-foot gallery has also been home to the work of Kurt Simonson, Amanda Cunnigan, Matt Wignall, and Matt Maust, flourishing the careers of young artists in the community.
As Labrys changes format, its legacy as a pioneer of the modern art movement for Long Beach communities will always be present. Labrys, as we know it, may be coming to an end, but it is only fitting that its final show be the foundation on which Frank’s career quickly builds. Anticipate Philip Frank’s premier show to be the event to attend this season, for art-sake.