Gallery 1516 will host a public opening July 16, 6 to 8 p.m., for five emerging Nebraska artists: Sophie Newell, Oria Simonini, Evan Stoler, Katie B Temple, and Joseph Vavak. Each projects a distinct narrative, but shares in the common threads of blurred and fragmented memories, impermanence and elusive boundaries.
Sophie Newell uses a variety of processes including printmaking and embroidery, guided by strong sense of composition, to contrast expressive marks and textures. She strives to elevate the mundane and revive items that have been forgotten or abandoned.
Figurative, contemplative paintings by Oria Simonini depict migrants and refugees; their community interactions as well as their trials, with inspirations sourced from current events.
Evan Stoler challenges viewers to question the textures, patterns, and materials of the everyday, by removing the commonplace from its accepted function. Work examines the paradoxes and beauty in the monotony of the mundane.
Katie B Temple’s work is inspired by universal concepts of home. Her expressive, architectural paintings explore the emptiness of a home that is not hers or suggests activity by unknown occupants.
Photographic artist Joseph Vavak explores and preserves the small details and lesser-known histories of random and isolated places in Nebraska and surrounding regions. His subjects are the often the overlooked and seemingly inconsequential.
The exhibit opens to the public on Saturday, July 16, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. There will be a special members-only reception on Friday, July 15 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Visitation is by appointment only after the openings. (Ambien) Masks are optional. Please check the website for further information.