Contact: John @ 503.229.8319 or john@virtualMo.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
22 NOVEMBER 2003
ARE YOU LISTENING GALLERY presents:
A collection of works on paper and canvas executed in charcoal and oil
Reception: Monday, December 8, 2003 from 6-9pm
Duration: Tuesday, December 9 through Thursday, December 24 10am-5pm
Location: Are You Listening, 45 SE Taylor Avenue, Portland
Portland based visual artist and proclaimed provocateur, Mø, has again emerged from his ethereal adventures to share another chapter in his open-ended philosophical investigation entitled, The Truth™.
Through the title of his upcoming event, “37 Faces of God™: An Exhibition of Revelation,” Mø questions the ubiquitous use of the trademark symbol (™) and its relationship to public and private domains. He explains:
Ownership is simply the exclusive control of something. When something is owned, control of that thing – including access - is ostensibly taken from everyone else. I’m struck by the ubiquitous use of legal symbols such as ©, ®, and ™ to indicate that a particular word or phrase is owned, and therefore its use is off limits to others. The proliferation of this practice is a constant reminder of, and is in symphony with, our culture’s increasing tendency toward materialism and ownership, which seems counter-intuitive to the practices that enhance community and ultimately, I argue, dissuades spiritual awareness. These works are a rare glimpse passed one man’s veneer against a spiritual ice age. Fueled by a relentless exploration of pathos, this collection of thirty-seven portraits subtly asserts that material and spiritual consciousness are mutually exclusive.
Working professionally in the creative fields as a music, video and multimedia producer for over a decade, Mø has fused a high-tech background with a multitude of expressive media from traditional studio practices such as drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Evident in this collection, Mø studied figure painting for two years under Portland’s celebrated, Laura Ross-Paul who agrees that his work demonstrates a consistently high level of craftsmanship as well as an intellectual sophistication that rarely disappoints the engaged viewer. Successfully riding a secular line between evocation and proselytization, 37 Faces is no exception.
The distinguished, Sue Taylor, PhD, of Portland State University's Art History Department, advanced the term "extraordinary" to describe Mø. While, Andrew Holmberg of PSU’s Art Department raves: “Mø's conceptually driven work both literally and figuratively paints a portrait of the human condition that encompasses the breadth of mankind's past as well as its barely imaginable future. His ability to blend such disparate technologies as simple machinery with the latest in digital technology evokes a respect and fascination with the inner workings of both the man made world and the human psyche. These intellectually inspired, emotionally charged concepts are often delivered with a welcome subtle humor. To learn the language of Mø is to enter a universe that requests, and deserves, further inspection.”
Senior Designer, Mark Smith, from Nike’s Innovation Kitchen describes Mø:
“Lateral thinker. Problem solver. Mr. Left /with a slant towards the right/. Creative. Duality and conflict in unison. Unique. Painting, sculpture, music, imagery, sound. His style is not seen or heard in any one single piece, project, or medium, but his signature is evident across all his works combined. There is a stark realism to his paint works. Whether confronted with a single, simple image of an architectural object, or, a deeply personal self-portrait, this artist creates a distance from the viewer. It is the distance created that is reminiscent of Odd Nerdrum's blank faces and Dalí’s languishing landscapes. There are stories being told through mute gestures which require the viewer to ask: ‘What's going on in there?!’”
For more information, send inquiries via email to 37faces@virtualMo.com or go to the website www.virtualMo.com.
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