The Mark of Great Art September 6 - September 21, 2008 Maker's Mark Distillery Gallery - View the 4 Commissioned Photos Maker's Mark issued a call for proposals to Kentucky artists as they embarked on the development of their own corporate art collection. The company commissioned 125 works of art from 60 Kentucky artists. We were commissioned to create 4 pieces inspired by our series "The Uninviting." The photos feature a landscape background from the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Then we went to the studio with Maker's CEO, Bill Samuels who is well-known for his antics and love of the costume. Bill proudly transformed into Kentucky heros Colonel Sanders, Daniel Boone, and Abe Lincoln for us. Lastly he brought out his distinctly wild Maker's Mark character, the Mad Waxer. Woah, he was a handful! |
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Outside / In : Connected with the StreetSeptember 5th - September 27th, 2008 Gallery NuLu Gallery - Installation and work. We coordinated and organized this street art show as part of a larger street art and urban culture celebration. You can read more, here.
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RE:ACTION Swanson-Reed Contemporary After years of working on the street, organizing and contributing to group shows we scheduled our first 2-person show to open in March of 2008. We were truly on our way to a great show and were cranking out some great work. However, we found that the universe had different plans. On January 26th, 2008, The LAVA House, our collective art space and studio of 7years burnt to the ground. Aside from the horrible death of our good friend that night, there was absolutely nothing left unburned in our studios-we were left with no tools, no materials-- all completed and progressing works were completely gone. In reaction, we figured (after some real uncertaintly) that we simply had to transcend the circumstances. So, with incredible and broad-reaching help from the Louisville's Art community's benefit shows (for all the LAVA artists) and the many donated art supplies, we moved ahead to create a whole new body of work for the March opening (16 of 19 works produced post-fire). In the new pieces we considered the nature of fire and life, both of which are reactions (fire is by definition the reaction to a perfect mix of heat, oxgen and fuel, much like our bodies are in life). Working through out this deeply emotional work was cathartic, allowing us to make a path through the burnt out forest. Loss, grief, trying to make some sense of "why," surrendering, transcending; through it all we kept reminding ourselves that sometimes a forest and it's old growth has to burn in order for new life to emerge. |
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| The Uninviting A video installation and photography series This series opened 6/29/07 at Mellwood Art Center as part of the 4th Louisville Photo Biennial ‘The Uninviting’ is a video installation and photography series that explores post-industrial, abandoned and blighted urban landscapes, juxtaposed by the human ability to live in the moment and enjoy life's simple pleasures. Read about the series here (PDF). "The Uninviting" Invites FBI to Artists' Home (PDF). View the photos and video installation (PDF). "The Uninviting" included in LEO cover story "Getting the Picture" by Jo Anne Triplett |
 
Left: Uninvited Natalie | Right: Uninvited Bryce Gallery - View the photos and video installation (PDF). Update! In April 2008, the Deutsche Bank (see photos of installation) purchased 8 photos from this series for their corporate collection, which is the largest and most important corporate collection in the world. |
T'What? A group photography exhibit exploring femininity, womanhood, and gender. Three curatorial themes focused on roles, body, and power. Featured work by 15 artists from Kentucky, New York, Missouri, Texas, and California. Curated by Hallie Jones, Aron Conaway, & Lori Beck Gallery - www.twhat.net - work, list of artists, photos from the opening, and press. |
 T'What? Logo
Video stills by Jessica Lagunas |
Oh, I'm Sorry. Did I Break Your Concentration? more: Gallery - Oh, I'm Sorry. Did I Break Your Concentration? Mural Project at Glassworks, Louisville KY, April 2007 This piece was created for "Pulp Funktion" a Quinten Tarantino-themed event that featured an art show, DJs from WFPK public radio, and dance and costume contests. We finished painting this mural on Saturday night, and on the following Monday- less than 72 hours later- the shootings at Virginia Tech went down. Show Curator Lori Beck was asked to come immediately to cover the gallery windows and doors of the gallery. Due to the sensitve nature of the moment and concerns about young visitors and show content, Glassworks locked the door and visitors who wanted to see had to specifically askfor admittance into the gallery. Issues around censorship, the mainstream media's role in perpetuating violence and the nature of our violent society in general inevitably raised to the surface. |
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Live Video Mixing (VJ-ing)
More images and video coming soon! Past collaborators: Fake Lake, C+, The Children, Lucky Pineapple, Strike City, Paradigm, Parlour, The For Carnation, The Phantom Family Halo.... Book us for a show - contact |
 Video for Paradigm at the BBC on Shelbyville Road, 2007 |
| Gallery - Dissent: Art from the Street
This was a gallery exhibition curated by Aron on the concept of wheat pasted street art, at UofL in the Covi Gallery in March of 2006. We both participated in the show's install, along with several others including Sean Griffin, Noah Church, Chris Chappell, & Billy McClanahan. |
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| Ignorance is Strength Seaweed and sand installation, Panama City Beach, 4th of July 2005 The morning after a storm washed a bunch of seaweed up on the beach we wrote a message in 8-foot tall letters on the beach. Staged in front of a huge condo complex of three high-rise concrete towers where thousands of people were vacationing. While working, dozens of vacationers could be seen standing on their balcony watching the message sprawl out. "Ignorance is Strength" inspired by 1984 |
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| Gallery - Post Card Art
July 2005 We were stranded in our Panama City Beach condo because of a tropical storm. We were also very broke because Hallie's purse was stolen on the way down to Florida. We engaged in this creative activity to pass the time before being evacuated due to Hurricane Charlie. The post cards were mailed to various random art galleries and museum staff, along with several of our friends and family members. |
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| Gallery - One Nation Under God: Operation Shock & Awe
Sculptural Installation with Audio/Video Media: Plastic army soldiers, salvaged military desert/partial snow camouflage, rocks, canvas, vinyl, and wood. You can read our artists' statement here (PDF). The first iteration of this piece was displayed in 2004 at the LAVA Annual Spring Art Exhibition "Art for Evolution". We collaborated with musician Thalon Hubbel (aka Ted Directly) on the audio installation. The second showing of this installation was in Louisville's Tyler Park as part of the 2nd annual Forecastle art.music.activism Festival. The third showing of this installation was at the Louisville Visual Art Association's Water Tower gallery as part of the LIVE Performance Art series, curated by Erin Devine. This showing incorporated a video and performance component, as well as an audio installation. We collaborated with musician Thalon Hubbel (aka Ted Directly) on the audio installation, Susan Crocker of Lucky Pineapple played Taps on her trumpet during the performance. Lakon Badru and Ritu Nahata played a role in the performance. |
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| Gallery - As the World Turns
Video, Installation, Performance Swanson-Reed Contemporary Gallery
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