NATALY (KUKULA) ABRAMOVITCH
“Lonely Opulent Things”
NATALIE SHAU
“Time Stood Still”
Opening Reception Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 7-10pm
On View September 24–October 15, 2011
Corey Helford Gallery
8522 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
T: 310-287-2340
www.coreyhelfordgallery.com
On Saturday, September 24, Corey Helford Gallery is pleased to present new works by internationally-collected California artist Nataly (Kukula) Abramovitch. Digital artist Natalie Shau will be featured in the loft gallery.
Following the success of her 2009 sold-out exhibition “Immortal Artifacts,” Kukula returns to Corey Helford for her second solo show at the gallery entitled “Lonely Opulent Things.” Featuring twelve new paintings, including Kukula’s largest works to date, and a limited-edition Jacquard tapestry, “Lonely Opulent Things” celebrates the florid ambiance of the French aristocracy. Drawing inspiration from her recent sojourn to the Palace of Versailles, the concept for Kukula’s new show revolves around “the beauty of objects and how we make them parts of ourselves. At the same time, as we collect more and more beautiful things, we end up isolating ourselves behind walls of decadence.”
For the exhibition, Kukula’s process began with a sketch of the painting “Broken Limoges.” A periwinkle blue-haired nymph sits perched on her knees atop a marble floor. Surrounded by exquisite Limoges porcelain objects, the delicate girl becomes an object herself. Infusing her imagery with the fanciful stylings from France’s Rococo period, Kukula examines the idea of detaching from the ugliness of reality in “Lonely Opulent Things.” Elaborate surroundings such as lush floral embellishments, ornate pedestals, and classical cherubs provide the ideal escape from the rest of the world. “Flourishes are often dismissed as ‘mere’ decorations without substance,” Kukula explains “but for me they are the substance that make life bearable.”
The loft gallery will feature “Time Stood Still,” an exhibition of eight new digital paintings by Lithuanian artist Natalie Shau. Her surrealistic portraits achieve a dark elegance, combining elements from human emotions to fashion and fairytales, and her color palette of calming pastels and smoky grays creates an equally dreamy atmosphere. Shau notes “usually all beautiful moments and things in life do not last long, so I try to capture beauty in stillness.”
Open to the public, the reception for “Lonely Opulent Things” and “Time Stood Still” will take place on Saturday, September 24 from 7 to 10pm, and the exhibition will be on view until October 15, 2011.
Nataly (Kukula) Abramovitch
Born in a village near Tel Aviv, Kukula was raised on equal parts princess fantasies and World War II horror stories. After receiving her degree in illustration from Vital-Shenkar in 2003, Kukula moved to San Francisco where she resides today. Kukula’s paintings center on feminine, doll-like figures, often surrounded by objects with sometimes clear, and sometimes obscure symbolic meaning. Her work combines classical European art forms with contemporary pop culture, resulting in a signature style that reflects her personal experiences and multi-cultural heritage. Kukula has exhibited at numerous galleries worldwide. For more information about the artist, please visit kukulaland.com.
Natalie Shau
Natalie Shau is an illustrator and photographer from Vilnius, Lithuania. Shau works mainly in digital media and her work is a mixture of photography, digital painting and 3D elements. She enjoys creating surreal and strange creatures, fragile and powerful at the same time. Shau’s style is influenced by religious imagery, fairy tales, illustrations, gothic horror and Russian classic literature such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and Nikolai Gogol. In addition to her artwork and exhibitions, Shau also enjoys creating illustrations for the music industry, fashion designers and media. Her illustrations for Lydia Courteille’s jewelry campaign were published in French VOGUE magazine, and Shau’s corporate client list includes Island Def Jam, Ogilvy & Mather, Sony BMG, and Century Media. For more information about the artist, please visit natalieshau.carbonmade.com.
