Psycho-specific Unearthings from R.k. Shuquem. NWC Gallery Exhibit March 2012
R.k. Shuquem, founder of Reversible Eye gallery and Artistic Director of the Arts of Life, inc. brings a collection of works spanning the entire length of his visual art career to New Wave Coffee in March with an opening on the Friday the 9th.
Since 1990, visual art has been a peaceful refuge for Shuquem from the demands of being a performer in rock bands. Sometimes known as “Loto Ball”, he has been in almost 20 bands and has created posters and record covers for most of them. He has been a member of the Phantom Limbs, the Loto Ball Show, The Arts of Life Band, and Mucca Pazza, to name a few. He has been in a handful of “musicians that make art”- type shows and publications such as the Rawk Show in Austin, the Art of Touring show in Chicago, and Penny Ante in Los Angeles.
In the last few years, visual art has served as a peaceful respite for Shuquem from very different demands, the demands of being director of Chicago’s most unique art studio. He had directed artistic collaborations such as murals since joining the Arts of Life community in 2006, but didn’t start going back to the personal type of work seen in this show until a few years after. A couple of years ago, Shuquem began using leftover paint that had been left at Arts of Life artist stations to create spontaneous abstract compositions at the end of the rigorous workday. Eventually these doodles turned into fully formed works and Shuquem once again began painting and drawing regularly. His energy devoted to music has mostly been relegated to his work with the Arts of Life band and Shuquem now puts all of his personal studio time into the fine arts.
The title for the new show, Psycho-Specific Unearthings refers to questions of meaning asked about his works. The viewer can tell that a meaning is implied, but may not be able to pinpoint exactly what it refers to. The title answers that the meaning is specific to what you think you are finding when you find it.
A quote from a recent interview: “My painting process can be unproductive and ass-backwards and not make much sense and I may attach meaning after the fact, same with lyrics. If I have any work that is ‘political’ it is usually attached to a personal story, a dream, or a concept I’m thinking about. Years ago I responded to the Iraq war with paintings of militaristic youth doing strange things but it had multiple meanings for me. It’s definitely a response to things going on in objective reality but subjective reality is given more weight in my pictures. I was more into the insecurity that I/we felt. I want to know what the audience thinks and I like it when there are differing responses. Also I like to learn things when discussing the work. I think of drawing and painting as visual thinking and if people are talking to me about them, that is a chance for me to delve into these thoughts further and share them with people. Struggle is very much part of the work. I do feel I am actually digging for awareness of hidden information. If the work is mysterious or vague, it is not because anything is covered, it’s because it’s only partially unearthed. That may be a glass-half-full argument, but the unearthing is part of the process.”
An online preview of works to be shown as part of Psycho-Specific Unearthings can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reversibleeye/sets/72157629310525741/with/6873455357/
Opening: Friday, March 9th
Where: New Wave Coffee
Links:
Rk.Shuquem http://www.rk.shuquem.com/
Loto Ball http://www.lotoballshow.com/
The Arts of Life, inc. http://www.artsoflife.org/
