Artemio Rodriguez, No Rest for the Wicked
Recommended by Nikki:
(Art Photographer / Marketing and Exhibitions Specialist)
Rodriguez’s graphic depictions of difficult-to-swallow topics feel tangible. The bold lines of the background draw attention to the small figures above the scene. One figure is shouting from a helicopter and pointing a gun, while the other also shouts and gestures frantically from a high-rise building. Both frame the central two figures who bare horns and tails to mark them as evil. Interestingly, the largest figure, assumed to be the artist dressed as a businessman, is hunched over with his hand in his pocket, tired. Even his pointed ears and large wings droop. The artist reminds us there’s no peace for those who choose evil from their positions of power.
Katarina Vavrova, Women from Kyoto (Ex Libris)
Recommended by Paige:
(Collections Manager / Marketing Coordinator)
This piece is a quiet favorite of mine. Originally, I was drawn to the amazing textures: the flowing hillside, fabrics, and barely visible hair adornments. But I think the true value is in how Vavrova captures traditional Japanese style through an Eastern European lens, embracing another culture through her own practices. You can see the care she takes as a woman portraying other women. Through her travel experiences, Vavrova understands and shares a culture that is not her own, and in particular women, without distancing herself, without acting as an outsider or an intruder.
Mariko Ando, Mind the Feather
Recommended by Catherine:
(Collections Specialist / Gallery Associate)
The symbolism within Mariko Ando's illustrative etchings reveals deeply unifying and poignant narratives, told through her animal subjects. Surrounded by thorny roses, the rabbit is attentively watching a gently floating feather, ready to catch it with their nimble fingers before it falls into the thorns. I see this as a reminder to seek softness and tenderness in my life, even when faced with the threat of pain, while the blood red roses call to my mind the often beautiful and life-affirming nature of painful experiences.