Relay

Hera Gallery is pleased host Relay, a five-week intensive installation exhibition featuring a different artist EVERY WEEK. We invite the public to join us EACH SATURDAY during the exhibition for a reception to celebrate each artist.

Exhibition Schedule

Week 1: Abigael McGuire June 22-27 Reception June 27, 6-8pm

Week 2: Mary Kudlak  June 29-July 4 BBQ Reception July 4, 12-3pm

Week 3: David Namhon KimJuly 7-11 Reception July 11, 6-8pm

Week 4: Jennifer Avery  July 13-18 Reception July 18, 6-8pm

Week 5: Max Van Pelt  July 20-25 Reception July 25, 6-8pm

Gallery Hours will be EXPANDED during the exhibition to be able to view the artists at work. All artists are open to the discussion of their work during the installation process.

This ephemeral nature of this exhibition will provide the unique opportunity to experience new work within the walls of the gallery weekly, while the impressions of the past installation are still fresh. This is an experiment of how a space can change within a brief amount of time and how we process and are affected by that change.

A person of many hats, ABIGAEL MCGUIRE mainly dons those of the gallery director, curator, installation artist, and arts blogger. Returning to her native Ocean State in late 2012 after a bout of California living, Abigael has been immersing herself in the arts community and beyond in her role as the Gallery Director of the longstanding, non-profit arts organization, Hera Gallery. She has since discovered a love of installation art and developed her skills for curating exhibitions. Her artistic and curatorial work often looks to explore the universal cultural experiences of being human and reveal the underlying ties that connect us. Abigael's bi-weekly arts blog, According to Abigael, explores the contemporary arts community and institutions of not only Rhode Island, but also the world beyond. She is currently operates out of Providence, RI.

MARY KUDLAK is a Los Angeles based visual artist. Her work ranges from 2D prints and paintings to 3D objects and installation work. Focusing mainly on domestic spaces, her work presents the viewer with scenes of everydayness. Sometimes ironic, often comical imagery along with multiple perspectives combine to create playful visuals that the artist carries throughout all mediums. She received her BFA in studio art from the University of Rhode Island and her MFA in printmaking with a thesis in sculpture from Pratt Institute. Her exhibition venues include kunsthalle Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn, NY; Lot 53 Art Space in Los Angeles, CA; Cabarrus Art Center in concord, NC; Feinstein Gallery in Providence, RI; and Cushing Gallery in Newport, RI.

A California native, DAVID NAMHON KIM had brief stints on the east coast for work and education before fully relocating to Providence, RI in 2012. With backgrounds in biochemistry, new media, and fine art, he has worked as a research scientist, high school teacher, and adjunct faculty at RISD and Brown University. A graduate of the RISD Digital+Media MFA program, Kim currently manages the RISD Co-Works fabrication lab while also evolving his personal creative practice.

JENNIFER AVERY is currently a student at Brown University, an editor for Inred med Magi (a Swedish publication with a focus on art and the occult) an alternate dancer for The Tropigals (a vintage dance troop based in Providence RI) and the artistic director of The Ergot Players (an experimental performance troop.) Avery recently returned from an artist residency with the Hermès Foundation in France and will be headed back to Paris in early 2016 for her first exhibition in Paris as well as the release of the Hermès Foundation’s book and documentary on her residency. Avery cut her teeth in the Boston alt/cabaret movement of the most recent fin et debut de siècle, and received her Associates degree in Fine Art from Bristol Community College in 2012, where she was valedictorian.

MAXWELL VAN PELT is a painter, sculptor, and installation artist currently based in Providence, RI. In 2011, Max graduated Summa Cum Laude from Dartmouth College, where he studied Studio Art with a concentration in Architecture. His Honors Thesis - in sculpture and drawing - was awarded the Jonathan B. Rintels Prize for the outstanding undergraduate thesis in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Prior to discovering his artistic inclinations, Max was an archer – a thirteen-time national champion and athlete on the United States World Team. He derives additional passion from exploring his surroundings as an experienced whitewater kayaker and avid mountain bicyclist.

These programs are presented with partial support from The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, Hera Educational Foundation, and The Friends of Hera. Hera Gallery is free and open to the public and is accessible to persons with disabilities. Parking is available.