FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

BLAM Gallery

56 Bogart Street

Brooklyn, NY 11206

www.blamprojects.com

brooklyn@blamgallery.com

"MATERIA PRIMA" curated by Stephen Romano

November 4, 2016 - November 27, 2016

Opening Reception November 4, 2016 (5-9pm)

featuring contemporary and historical works of

Alexis Karl, Sarah Zar, Hanna Jaeun, Nyahzul Blanco, Barry William Hale, Dolorosa De La Cruz, Allessandro Siclordr, Linnea Strid
Colin Christian, Lena Viddo, Gigi Chen, Erin O’Shea, Steven Bradshaw, Samuel Gliner, Damien Michaels, Cendrine Ravoni, Ken Weaver
Jel Ena, Teiji Hayama, John D. Monteith, Ray Robinson, P54, Jaya Suberg, Erna KD, Charlotte Rodgers, Steven Baines,
Luke Grochocki, Orryelle Defenestrate, Inge Vandormael, Cecilia Avendaño Bobillier, Marko Velk, Travis Lawrence, Judith Vergara García, William Blayney
AW Sommers., Brian Sparrow, William Mortensen, Lori Field, Charles Dellschau, Jacob Bohme, Darcilio Lima...

 

BLAM is pleased to announce the exhibition "MATERIA PRIMA", curated by Stephen Romano. The exhibition is a mixture of leading contemporary artists, folk art, vernacular photography, esoteric ephemera, outsider art and unexpected images and objects.

"MATERIA PRIMA" is based on the theme of diverse magical practices, challenging the notion that all magic is necessarily dark in nature.

Curator Stephen Romano says,“The exhibition is an articulation of the esoteric nature of the artist as shaman, a producer of art works that serve as social healing devices, to make well again our collective consciousness. To re-inject the forces of hope, optimism and belief of magic into our declining culture. The true artist…the art they make, is a primary experience in and of itself. The creation is an act of magic, a conjuring or a protective spell. It is where the artist makes a stand: socially, politically and spiritually.

We live in this universe that has no known boundary, the concept of the scale of spatial infinity is one that is impossible to comprehend, and equally we live for a very brief time, in a very microcosmic space. Given that realization, what is purpose? In my experience, which is what I try to articulate as a curator, what sustains us is the need for self-actualization, the perpetuation of the metaphysical, and contact with the higher order.

This is achieved through culture, in what Teilhard de Chardin would call a ‘biophilic’ experience as opposed to say, looking at something that would dumb down our perceptual senses, a ‘necrophilic’ moment; one that perpetuates the death of the psyche. Great art is an enrichment, and one that ought to be a shared social experience."

When asked about the extreme and esoteric nature of the works in the exhibtion, Stephen Romano responded "We live in extremely times, the art of our time should be an extention and reflection of those extremes"

Stephen Romano has been a prominent Brooklyn gallerist and private art dealer over the past few years, curating exhibitions at his eponymous galleries in Dumbo and Bushwick featuring the works of well known artists such as photographer William Mortensen, Charles Dellschau, Colin Christian, Rithika Merchant, Jel Ena, Matthew Dutton and David Molesky. He has also held ambitious group exhibitions such as "Mysterium Cosmographicum", "In Missa Interfectionis", Infernum", "Heirogliphica", "Saint Bowie" and the blockbuster "Opus Hypnagogia" at the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn. Stephen presented outside curated exhibitions such as "Destinesia" and "The Devils Reign' curated by the high priest of the Church of Satan Peter H. Gillmore.

Romano has published several seminal catalogs on the works of Jel Ena, El Gato Chimney, Darcilio Lima (with text by Barbara Safarova), William Mortensen (with text by A.D. Coleman,) Colin Christian "Trypophobia", Rithika Merchant, Pavel Kraus (with text by David Ebony), and Lu Chan (with text by Robert Morgan). He has also produced a large format coffee table book on the works of renowned artist Charles Dellschau (1830 - 1923) which included the final published essay by the late Thomas McEvilley. Stephen Romano is the publisher of lexiconmag.com.

An active and enthusiastic member of the international art community for the past 30 years, Romano has championed female artists, artists of diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as esoteric and occult artists. He also includes outsider, marginalized, self taught artists, and artists whose visionary practices placed them outside of the mainstream art world.

BLAM Mission Statement

At the core, BLAM is an exhibition model focused on creating a synergy between artists in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. These bi coastal, multi-platform exhibition spaces in downtown Los Angeles and Bushwick are designed to showcase a wide range of artists and curators. The goal is to introduce the wealth of talent in both communities to a wider audience of art lovers, art writers, curators and collectors. The spaces also brings selected artists/curator from other states and countries to audiences in the two cities. Each coast differs slightly from one another, constantly adapting and adjusting based on what works best for each city.

For each show at BLAM Brooklyn, we seek out a curator whose vision in which we trust and believe in. The individual shows can differ in personality and mood, however BLAM always aims to exhibit respectable artists that are distinctly recognizable and push boundaries. We lean towards intellectually and visually stimulating art, that a wide audience can identify with and be excited by.

For further information or visuals, please contact:

Nina Catalanotto
Assistant Curator
BLAM

56 Bogart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
1(917)-421-0616 (U.S.)
brooklyn@blamgallery.com

 


Alexis Karl  "Exorcism Jouissance" 2016  video still





Sarah Zar "Channel, Oracles & Evacuations Series" 2016




Anonymous photographer, Japan c. 1940's
    
 
Hanna Jaeun left: "'The Path', right: "'Tentacle Girl'





Steven Bradshaw "Cursed"  




Linnea Strid "Remembering Blossom" watercolor image transfered onto votive candle. 

 
Anonymous Spirit photo c. 1880, Portlan Oregon.  





Lori Field 'Savages'





Vintage Snapshot Photo Pipe Smoking Witch Prowling in Grass

          


Jacob Bohme (1575-1624) "CONVERSATION OF SOULS" c.1600's

 

Teiji Hayama L: "Madone" R: "Maris-Stella" 2015

 


William Mortensen (1897 - 1965) "Faternal Practices, Betty Compton" c 1922





Nyahzul Blanco "Never is a Promise" 2016




Vintage press photo of Ms. Ray Accused of Witchcraft  1938 






Barry William Hale Left: "Legion 49 Sculptural Series" M:"Legion 49 Servitor Sculptural Series: Balfori" R:"Legion 49 Sculptural Series: Beelzebuth"




Dolorosa De La Cruz Invocation of la Reina Roja 2
          
         
        

Colin Christian "Stricken" 2015

 

Lena Viddo “Curandera”

 

Vintage Press photo of a Devotee of a "witchcraft cult" in Brazil 1944

 


Darcilio Lima (1944 - 1991) "The Prince" 1972

 

Gigi Chen "looking for Magic" 2016

 

Erin O’Shea "Lil' Buddies" 2016

 

The Harmonia Macrocosmica of Andreas Cellarius 1660, PLANISPHÆRIVM BRAHEVM, Sive Structura MVNDI TOTIVS,

EX HYPOTHESI TYCHONIS BRAHEI IN PLANO DELINEATA - The planisphere of Brahe, or the structure of the

universe following the hypothesis of Tycho Brahe drawn in a planar view.

 


Charles Dellschau (1830 - 1923) "Plate 4714 Wind 1845 Muehl Berg" October 18, 1920

 

Luke Grochocki "HOS Jupiter Seal" 2016

 

Samuel Gliner "The Crimson Path"

 


Cendrine Ravoni "Le lait de l'eau", 2015

 

Damian Michaels "The Manna" 2016

 


Jel Ena "Madea" 2015

 

Ken Weaver "1000 Years After I am Gone"

 


John D. Monteith "Study " 2016


Ray Robinson l to r : "Birth of a Witch", "Witch and her Dog Execurted on the Same Day” (Dog was shpwn Mercy and was Stragled before Burned)" 2015

 


P54, Perpetual Struggle, 2016

 


Jaya Suberg "Sit Still" 2016

 


Erna Kd "Priestess with Pony Tail" 2015 ink on paper

 


Charlotte Rodgers "Little Man What Now' "

 

Japanese movie program for "Susperia" Directed by Dario Argento, 1977

 


Steven Baines "Ready for the Sun", "Peoples Stupid Opinions", "Scared Shipless" 2016

 

 


Orryelle Defenestrate-Bascule "Alchimic Lions"

 


Inge Vandormael "Orphic egg" 2016

 


Cecilia Avendaño Bobillier. "Emerge-9-de-11" 2015

 


Travis Lawrence "Vitriol"

 


Judith Vergara García "Ensemble" 2015

 


AW Sommers, "Dogsbody"

 


Brian Sparrow "Tablet"

 

Marko Velk "The Owl" 2016

 

Olga Fröbe-Kapteyn "The Creation", "The Mystery of Life", "The Central Spitural Sun" screen prints c. 1930's.

 

"Arc of the Covenant" Masonic carved and painted Angels c. 1880, American

 

"Occult Sex" Japanese sexploitation film poster directed by Shinya YAMAMOTO starring Yuki MINAMI 1974

 

 

BLAM Gallery

56 Bogart Street

Brooklyn, NY 11206

www.blamprojects.com

brooklyn@blamgallery.com

 

 

marko