Subliminal Projects is pleased to present THE FUTURE, a site-specific installation, and a series of new works by multidisciplinary artist Shantell Martin, based on a 27-point manifesto by Martin, for the future of the art industry. In conjunction with the opening of the exhibition, Martin and gallery founder, artist Shepard Fairey, will release a collaborative limited edition letterpress print, avail- able in-store at the opening reception Saturday, May 7, 7-10PM, and online Tuesday, May 10, 10AM PDT on subliminalprojects.com.
Creating and appreciating art is uniquely intrinsic to the human experience. The cultural value of art has evolved under the weight of societal classism, forcing us collectively to ask; What and who is art for? Martin’s manifesto is “a hope, a wish, and an encouragement for everyone to look deeper into how we support artists, how we protect artists, how we empower artists, and how we value art and the artists who dedicate their lives to their craft.”
Shepard Fairey comments, “Shantell Martin’s use of line and language as a way to conjure a sense of relationship and connection functions like a Rorschach test, but is a much more elegant use of black ink the primary tool. Martin’s art is often physically inter- active, but it is always psychologically interactive by engaging the viewer’s sense of relationship and possibility.”
The exhibition features a new series of drawings on paper, canvas, bottles, and textile, displayed in Martin’s signature site-specific installation method of utilizing the entirety of the space. Martin designed the exhibition for reflection on the present and hope for the future of art. From vinyl flooring to ceiling-high murals on the walls, Martin invites the viewer to experience these meditative manifesto points as they walk through the gallery, and mindfully converse with the artwork and the space around them. Martin concludes, “I hope that the show is a gift to everyone to question, explore, and delight in this shared human experience.