Join us for a closing reception on Saturday, October 7 from 4 to 6 pm.
Avenue 12 Gallery is delighted to present Jeff Petersen: Entranced | Current State of Being. The exhibit
includes paintings, sculpture, hand burnished woodblock prints, and installations by Jeff Petersen that
explore the modern paradox of mobile phone fascination at the expense of that which surrounds us. This
newly vital technology of the cell phone may be problematic for the lone anamorphic figures captivated by
the digital world.
The exhibit revolves around a central character loosely based on Noppera-bō, a Japanese spirit who
pretends to be someone you know, only to reveal itself as a faceless spirit. This character is clearly
captivated by the digital world, perhaps absurdly so, and is
juxtaposed with the natural world to which it has lost
connection as we rely on our cell phones for self expression.
Two window installations were created, “Not Looking” on
12th Avenue, and “Lost at Sea” on Lake Street, that use
papier-mâché sculptures, painted wood, found objects, and
LED lights.
In Petersen’s paintings, the external environments, lush and
dreamlike, beckon for inclusion in the character’s current
state of being. Yet the internal landscape of Being may be
disconnected from humanity, the world, and even itself.
Join us on Saturday from 4 to 6 pm for our closing reception; no phones required!
About the Artist: Jeff Petersen is a painter, illustrator and muralist who has been based in San Francisco for
the last 20 years. His paintings have appeared in various groups shows in California. His murals range from
public art projects (SFAC StreetSmArts program, Palo Alto Children’s Library) to private commissions
(Escape From NY Pizza, Little Chihuahua restaurants). He has created music posters for the Fillmore
Auditorium (Bill Graham Presents) and editorial art for the
indie music magazine Devil in the Woods. He is also grateful
to have the chance to combine his love of surfing and the
ocean by creating art for magazines such as Surfer’s Path,
Surfer, Surfer’s Journal and illustrating the book Lost Coast by
author Drew Kampion. He graduated from San Francisco State
in 1992 with a degree in fine art with an emphasis in painting
and drawing.
