JoAnne Artman Gallery is pleased to present FUN ZONE, featuring works by John “CRASH” Matos, Jenna Krypell, and Marly McFly. Projecting a spirit of playfulness, FUN ZONE excites with bright hues, bold lines, and familiar iconography. Fusing pop aesthetics with limitless energy, the exhibition demonstrates a commitment to color, form, and sensory excitement that have become synonymous with CRASH, Krypell, and McFly’s respective practices.
Inspired by the concept that the world could use more fun and happiness, the works promote optimism in the face of uncertainty. Imbuing a sense of wonderment, FUN ZONE asserts positivity as a further expression of self, emphasizing the value of sharing that joy through art. Breaking from expectation, CRASH, Krypell, and McFly create freely under the liberating force of fun.
Instantly recognizable, CRASH’s process is rooted within his identity as a Bronx-born graffiti artist, having come of age in the hip-hop fueled Bronx of the late 1970s. The radiant, fluorescent palettes cement CRASH’s work firmly in the present as he operates within a dialogue culled from classic pop culture, comic book and print references. CRASH’s distinct style made him an iconic part of the New York City visual landscape, while also pioneering a new age for graffiti in 1980 when he curated the pivotal “Graffiti Art Success for America” exhibition at Fashion MODA. Continuously engaged in various projects and commissions, his canvases are also part of numerous museum shows, with many in permanent museum collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Brooklyn Museum (New York), Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (Scottsdale), and Stedeljik Museum (Amsterdam).
Brooklyn based artist Jenna Krypell self-imposes clear guidelines in the preliminary stages of production, with precise lines and edges characterizing her wall sculptures. Interpreting and reducing people’s everyday movements to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms, Krypell’s works are derived from the notion of displacement. Featuring materials such as MDF and hand-dyed resins and paint, her designs are composed with the distinct reconstruction and repetition of elements. In constructing these abstract forms, she evaluates life’s challenges and restrictions, navigating the balance between choice and limitations while representing change; nothing is stagnant.
Marly McFly is a self-taught artist from Newport News, Virginia. Examining the impacts of advertising and consumerism on contemporary society, McFly draws influence from cartoons, comics, action figures, athletes, and pop art nostalgia. Expressing his inner thoughts and experiences through layers of bold colors, patterns, and memories from his youth, his approach combines the prolific pop and urban street art genres. Including recognizable celebrities and characters into his compositions to create new stories, his silkscreens are reminiscent of old, peeling billboards, emerging as simultaneously retro and modern. Marly McFly has successfully exhibited in major international markets, including New York, Paris and Tokyo.
These artists’ work will inspire, provoke, engage and mesmerize. With visual perceptions always changing, peek behind the stories told and you’re sure to find the right artistic expression.
