James Yakimicki
Opening Reception for the artist: October 12 -- 5 to 8 pm
Christopher West Presents
1495 N Harding Street, Indianapolis (map)
It’s not often I’m encouraged to go on a studio visit to Greenwood, Indiana. It’s also not common that I get a tap on my shoulder at my neighborhood Starbucks’ from a friend, curator and art writer from the east coast who has been hired to write the catalogue essay for a local artist’s solo debut in New York.
Such is the story of how I met James Yakimicki.
Through large-scale oil paintings and intimately-scaled drawings, Indiana native James Yakimicki blends layers of the natural and civilized world, disregarding traditional scale or perspective to craft worlds of his own.
Yakimicki was born in Beech Grove, Indiana in 1980. He earned a BFA from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2007) and an MFA from Columbia University in New York City (2012), where his talent was recognized with the Andrew Fisher and Leroy Neiman Fellowships. The environments he’s inhabited – from the flat planes of Indiana to the dizzying heights of Boulder, Colorado to the urban sprawl of New York City – are layered into his works.
In addition to his physical surroundings, his works reflect his own mental state and perceived overstimulation, becoming what art critic Amanda York has deemed "psychological portraits of the physical, imagined, and technological landscapes that we inhabit daily.”
Yakimicki explores the theme of technology frequently in his illustrations, often manifesting as abstract figures that seem to have originated in a dystopian Sci-Fi film. This reflection on the overstimulation of the often overly-saturated world in which we live is also a symbol for the inescapable “confines of capitalism” and the socioeconomic injustice that ensues.
To aid in his societal commentary, Yakimicki was invited by renowned artist Rirkrit Tiravanjia to participate in Tropical Lab 6: LAND in Singapore and in apexart’s Outbound Fellowship program in Thailand by the legendary artist Sanford Biggers.
I am happy to announce a solo exhibition at my gallery with an opening reception for the artist on October 12th. Two weeks later we will celebrate the artist’s New York solo debut with an exhibition at the Cue Art Foundation curated by Gregory Amenoff on October 25th.
I would be extremely proud to see you at either of the above openings. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
