Koplin Del Rio

November 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kenny Harris: China
Exhibition Dates: January 7 – February 18, 2012
Artist Remarks followed by Reception: Saturday, January 14, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm; Saturday: 11:00 am – 5:30 pm
Public Contact: 310-836-9055

Koplin Del Rio is pleased to announce its second solo exhibition of work by noted Los Angeles painter Kenny Harris.

Kenny Harris’ interest in the intrinsic qualities that make a place unique is the impetus for his work, and has inspired his travels throughout the world including extensive treks through South America, Europe, Cuba and Istanbul. His paintings expertly capture the mood of their environments through his portrayals of city and landscape, architecture and light, while his rich and impasto laden palette reflects a deep love of the Dutch and Italian Masters. Both the technique and subject matter have become Harris’ signature, and have been perfected in the near decade since he first began to record his travels on canvas. This newest series of work is no exception, and is his most ambitious to date.

In the summer of 2011, Harris embarked on a seven-week excursion through China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Travelling with a Chinese family friend who is a top Mandarin interpreter for the U.S. State Department, Harris enjoyed an experience unlike the casual tourist. In awe of the ancient culture and historic sites, it was the coalescing of that history with today’s contemporary world that fascinated him most. “I am often drawn to locations that are interesting to me not just visually but culturally and politically as well. This is a momentous time for China; 1.4 billion people, 52 ethnic minorities, all surging forward with a combination of socialism and capitalism never seen before. The cities are vast, the public works projects monumental. But the cultural history is what one cannot escape…the Cultural Revolution which shaped every aspect of modern China was but one more historic event in a chain that stretches back 5000 years,” Harris writes. Painted alleyways, temples, vistas and courtyards portray the country’s aged grandeur in our modern times.

Due to the political climate of his destination, Harris was not able to bring along any art making materials aside from pencil and paper, thus curtailing his usual habit of creating small paintings on site to further develop in the studio once home. As a result, for the first time, a selection of drawings by Harris will be exhibited alongside the paintings in the gallery. The exhibition will be further supported conceptually by the inclusion of journal entry text.

Kenny Harris is an MFA mentor at the Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna, California. He studied at the Charles Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy and the Art Students League in New York under Frank Mason. His work has been featured in solo exhibitions in Los Angeles and New York. His shows have received critical praise from Artweek, Whitehot Magazine, and Angeleno Magazine.

For further information or photos, please contact Ronald De Angelis at (310) 836-9055.