Gleaming the Screen
FEBRUARY 07 – MARCH 06, 2004
ORGANIZED by guest curator, Nick Pimentel of Washington, DC's Planaria Recordings, Gleaming the Screen is a group exhibition featuring work by over twenty of the U.S. and Canada's most talented and innovative silkscreen poster artists.
Fueled by musical movements dating back to psychedelic rock in the 60's and punk rock in the 70's, the best in music oriented poster art "have always captured both the essence of the music they promoted and the spirit of the time in which they were produced," according to the American Poster Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering public awareness and appreciation of the poster art form. This is as true today in Washington, DC as it was in San Francisco in the 1960's.
As indicated in the growth of poster artists as well as forums dedicated to the discussion and presentation of this art form, such as gigposters.com and Flatstock, poster art is quickly emerging as a celebrated art form highlighting the diverse talents of graphic design artists. Image is forefront featuring bold colors, creative typesetting, original drawing, as well as found images. The use of silkscreening has transformed the art form from mass consumed advertising or disposable announcement to art object.
Gleaming the Screen provides an overview of silkscreen poster arts' graphic design trailblazers combining three of their favorite things: art, design, and music. Incorporating both east and west coast styles, this exhibition features artists who helped establish the art form and those who are emerging as its newest leaders, including: 33RPM, Aesthetic Apparatus, Asterik Studio, The Bird Machine (Jay Ryan, Diana Sudyka, Mat Daly), Eyenoise (Thomas Scott), The Heads of State, Kangaroo Press, Kayrock Screenprinting, Kollective Fusion, Mike King, Lure Design, Sam McPheeters, Modern Dog, Monoroid (Neil Burke), Nocturnal Showprint, Outlaw Print Co., Patent Pending Industries, Planaria Design, Serigraphic Populaire(Seripop), Nolen Strals, and Jay Vollmar.
Gleaming the Screen curator Nick Pimentel is a full time poster artist. In addition to this, he runs the record label Planaria Recordings; does design work through Planaria Design; works at the creative agency, Toolbox Design Inc.; is the Art Director for L.A. based Dim Mak Records; books bands at the Warehouse Nextdoor; puts together music and art shows at the Hosiery Art Space; and is a co-founder of The Yellow Fever Collective, spreading Asian awareness through irony.