exhibitions

for immediate release


“Wiggly & Curvy / Sharp & Pointy”
January 7 - February 12, 2006

Works by: Victor Gastelum, Amos
opening reception: Saturday, January 7, 2006; 7-11pm
SPECIAL GUESTS for the opening: members of CALEXICO: Joey Burns, Jacob Valenzuela & Paul Niehaus

OVERTONES is pleased to present "Wiggly & Curvy / Sharp & Pointy", a two-person exhibition featuring new work by artists-and long time friends-VICTOR GASTELUM & AMOS.

Mexican wrestlers, their skull tight masks, cholos y cholas at work (a welder in a monkey suit) and at play (dream lover with a come-hither-die-happy pout)-cut clean and deep to the bone with a razor; stenciled, sprayed, lacquered and chromed into Gods and Goddesses sliced out of context, their slow-and-low rider cars, Chariots of Chicano Cool, blazing across the border between sacred icons and sophisticated profane folk art. High and low and real gone. Mas alla. Suavecito con alma. It can only be Victor Gastelum-so pure he's invisible, so street he's everywhere.

Now he's here. Getting up on a white wall, down to a higher plane-at OVERTONES. We don't know what he's going to do and neither does he. That's the plan. Victor whispers in pictographs: "Mixing these images and creating a new image from them is not only like being able to talk in several languages at once, but also inventing a new one in the process."

And he's bringing a street trickster with him. Amos has assisted the masters, the O.G.'s of Los Angeles' traditional Chicano print making scene at the legendary Self-Help Graphics. From Leo Limon to Chaz Bojorques & Malaquias Montoya, among many others, to the mistresses of the form, Patssi Valdez and Barbara Carrasco, as well as the likes of Raymond Pettibon, Ed Moses and Paul McCarthy. Now Amos', humorous, idiosyncratic synthesis of Chicano street culture with comix, rock and roll and pop culture is on the loose. Play with him at your own risk.

Victor Gastelum began his art making with flyers for such punk legends as the Dead Kennedy's, and Minutemen. He evolved into creating covers for SST Records and collaborating with artists like Raymond Pettibon. While at SST Records, Victor also began doing cover art for the band Calexico, who have commissioned him for many of their albums. For the opening reception, members of Calexico: Joey Burns, Jacob Valenzuela and Paul Niehaus will be here, doing what they do best-giving us the pleasure of great sound.

OVERTONES is a Los Angeles art venue that supports and promotes creative endeavors in all artistic disciplines, with emphasis on emerging and mid-career artists, international collaboration and social responsibility. OVERTONES is dedicated to searching outside the confines of established art institutions and presenting work that has the potential to engage a wide range of audiences.

*For further information and images please contact the Director of Exhibitions, Elizabeta Betinski, at elizabeta@overtones.org or (310) 915. 0346.

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