Invisible College

Invisible College explores the aesthetics of a movement that has devised its own course; one that has been largely defined outside of institutional contexts. Moving away from the standard art education model that demands graduate school, an excess of critical rhetoric and an art world careerism, these artists, many of whom are self-taught, have sought their own inspiration and voice instead, drawing on everything from popular culture and social media platforms, to street art, murals and graffiti. By creating a distinct community in support of the diversity of its visions and styles, the movement has mortared and upheld its own invisible school.

This group exhibition is co-curated by Andrew and Shawn Hosner of Los Angeles’ Thinkspace Gallery, and Josef Zimmerman of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. The exhibition will feature new and representative works by 46 artists belonging to the New Contemporary movement.

The New Contemporary movement, widely acknowledged to have begun in the early 90s on the West Coast, evolved in reaction to a conceptual turn in fine art. Founded in part on a rejection of the arbitrary division of visual culture that tends to elevate “high art” above the social and popular realms, the movement invoked the counter-cultural and drew content from an immersion in social experience. The standard of excessive academicism and abstraction, against which it grew, was commonly held in higher regard than more figurative, graphic or representational forms of art. This marginalization inspired the New Contemporary movement to set its own terms and create its own context for the reception of its work. With a renewed emphasis on technical skill, narrative and representation, it has encouraged a social return in art. The Invisible College captures the energetic irreverence and variety that has continued to shape the movement and its spirit of self-determinism. The works included in this exhibition range from the illustrative and graphic, to the surreal and figurative, embodying in one way or another the populist sensibility that makes the movement so exciting, current and relatable.

Invisible College offers a cross-section of some of the most exciting artists working in the New Contemporary genre. As it continues to evolve and expand, the movement embraces talent from all over the world and ushers in a new-guard that seeks to increase the social and popular relevance of contemporary art. Rather than limiting their work’s reception to art world initiates, these artists create pieces inspired by popular and street cultures, summoning the world back into art rather than championing its exclusion and remove.

Invisible College will include works by Adam Caldwell, Adrian Falkner, Alex Yanes, Allison Sommers, Amanda Joseph, Andrew Hem, Brian M. Viveros, Christine Wu, Cryptik, Curiot, Daniel Dienelt, David Cooley, Drew Leshko, Ekundayo, Erik Jones, Gaia, Jacub Gagnon, James Marshall (Dalek), Jeff Ramirez, Jeremy Fish, Jolene Lai, Kay Gregg, Keita Morimoto, Kevin Peterson, Know Hope, Kwon Kyungyup, Luke Chueh, Meggs, Natalia Fabia, Nosego, Ravi Zupa, Sandra Chevrier, Scott Radke, Seth Armstrong, Stephanie Buer, Troy Lovegates, Yoskay Yamamoto and Yosuke Ueno.

Included in Invisible College are special mural installations by Andrew Schoultz, Cyrcle, Mark Dean Veca and Troy Lovegates. The exhibition will also include a featured installation by Brett Amory.