Juxtapoz Magazine – Gregory Rick’s “Party at Megiddo” @ BEYOND THE STREETS, Los Angeles

Past THE STREETS is delighted to announce Get together at Megiddo, the LA solo debut from Oakland-primarily based visible artist Gregory Rick. A  recipient of SFMOMA’s 2022 SECA Artwork Award, new graduate of Stanford University’s MFA artwork observe application, and participant in Over and above THE STREETS’ inaugural Put up Graffiti exhibition, Rick will showcase a new collection of perform that builds on the style of record portray, describing his art as discovering “the recognised, the obscure, and the neglected”, while questioning the who’s and why’s of record.

A indigenous of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rick’s do the job is motivated by personalized activities, but is not solely personal. It tells tales that mirror his daily life as it relates to a dialogue with the broader planet. Wherever myth provides voice to the underbelly, the lumpen in tandem exhibiting the acquainted and grandiose. His function tethers alongside one another seemingly opposing thoughts amongst the personalized, the historic and the political. 

“I’m portray on a shaky historical line cemented in humility and conviction. I occupy my pictures with characters who serve as archetypes in conjunction with memory and self-exploration reflecting on the absurdness and monumentality of historical past,” Rick shares.

The title for Rick’s present combines two terms that look inextricably opposing however cemented in cognitive dissonance. Megiddo is a reference to the struggle of Armageddon, being the town in which the good final struggle was prophesied to come about. It references a bash at the closing struggle of humanity, questioning the uncertain instances we live in, in which we quickly feed the fire of the anthropocene, on cruise command in the fast lane to extinction with these reckless ferocity it practically appears as if we are celebrating our own demise. The exhibition has couple of solutions but instead reflects and fosters lots of inquiries as Rick ponders a essential part of this present-day instant.

Rick’s fondness for art commenced around the time his father was sentenced to prison for manslaughter. It served as equally a indicates of gaining agency in a chaotic childhood – as a person has handle of the narrative in one’s very own photos – and as a relationship with his father by means of the meticulous copying of illustrations from an old army encyclopedia that he remaining powering prior to becoming incarcerated. When schools in his region stopped giving artwork classes, Rick grew to become infatuated with the art that was conveniently accessible, which was graffiti. He would devote his life to deciphering the cryptic language, which led to issues with the legislation, which include prices that ended up eventually cleared just after Rick enlisted in the Military. There he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, with whom he fought in Iraq from 2005 to 2006. 

Just after his enlistment time period was up, Rick discovered it hard to modify back to his outdated lifestyle and eventually discovered himself homeless and having difficulties with a number of issues. He nonetheless carried all-around pen and paper and would attract for the very same reasons that motivated him in his youth. In the course of this seminal issue in his lifetime, he sought support from the community Veterans Affairs business, exactly where art turned a critical facet of his recovery.

“Gregory Rick’s do the job speaks about energy and anguish, very good and evil. About resiliency. He contextualizes these narratives by mining the complexities of our collective earlier and sharing perspectives normally omitted in historic accounts. His capability to glow a light on the oppressed and forgotten is a triumph that we’re proud and psyched to share with Los Angeles,” states gallery director Dante Parel. 

Outside of THE STREETS Gallery
434 N La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036