CHARACTER, CHARACTERS, AND CONTRAPTIONS AT 23 SANDY IN SEPTEMBER

CHARACTER, CHARACTERS, AND CONTRAPTIONS
September 3-18, 2010

Artist Reception: First Friday, September 3, 2010, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Preview Reception: First Thursday, September 2, 2010, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Artist Talk with Stewart Harvey: Saturday, September 11, 2010, 4:00 p.m. 

Stewart Harvey – I Am What I Need To Be
A Photo Essay on the Odyssey of Identity in New OrleansStewart Harvey’s second solo show here at 23 Sandy Gallery is a photographic essay on the reverence for individuality and the culture of creativity in New Orleans. Character and characters abound in the Big Easy, but what separates New Orleans from other cities is that individual eccentricity is cherished, and not simply for what a gifted soul might contribute, but for its own sake as yet another example of the rich cultural coinage that turned New Orleans into a national treasure.

Harvey tells us, “coming from Portland, which though it shares much of the liberal spirit, the Crescent City seems more enamored by cultural movements than the rabid individuals who create them. I was charmed by the willingness of New Orleanians to not only give sanctuary to the expressive odd ball, but to provide a platform for their development.” This body of work features images of the city’s Katrina survivors, notable musicians, costumed revelers and other quirky characters, presented both in framed photographs as well as his new artist book of the same title. 

Stewart Harvey’s photographs have been exhibited and published widely during his 30-year career in Portland as a commercial and fine art photographer. He is a recipient of an Oregon Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship and his work is in the collections of the Portland Art Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, The New Orleans Museum of Art, The State Museum of Louisiana, and several university archives. 
 

Graham Schodda–Ray Guns, Robots and Racecars23 Sandy Gallery is very excited to present Graham Schodda for his debut solo show in Portland. Schodda builds whimsical sculptures assembled from discarded, recycled, and salvaged materials from a bygone era. A former large-scale steel sculptor, he invents a new existence and a fun, quirky narrative for these abandoned objects, repurposing their streamlined or eclectic forms into ray guns, robots, and racecars. Most of the components in Schodda’s finished sculptures are recognizable and invoke curiosity, pleasure, and wonder for the viewer. This series, perhaps influenced his son’s toys and love of all things ‘boy,’ is the culmination of many years of collecting our disposable oddities.

Graham Schodda was born in Sydney, Australia and currently lives in Bellingham, Washington. Following a career as a graphic designer, he started a sculpture and design studio in Denver in 1994 that produced a large body of work ranging from small garden sculptures to large sculptural installations and specialized in one-of-a-kind, commissioned metal art furniture and sculpture. 

23 Sandy Gallery
623 NE 23rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
www.23sandy.com

Gallery Hours: Thursday-Saturday, Noon-6:00 p.m. and by appointment. Also open until 8:00 p.m. on both First Thursday and First Friday.