Solo Exhibition: Laced Up
Jonathon Downing
Dates: October 7 -28, 2023
Reception: Saturday, October 7 | 5 - 8 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present Laced Up, a solo exhibition of five new oil paintings by Jonathon Downing in his unique style of montage painting. In his first exhibition with the gallery and in the Bay Area, Downing pays homage to professional basketball while delving into the inextricable ties it has on popular culture, fashion, iconism, measurements of success, and how these aspects have the ability to bond us as a global society.
The knitted fabric used in the laces of our sneakers and the nets hanging from basketball rims is cut from the same cloth, becoming intertwined into an unbreakable weave. - Jonathon Downing
In this series, Downing continues to explore the ways in which professional basketball fans interact with players they admire and favor through accessorization. The articles of clothing and sneakers not only signify loyalty to teams and players, but they are also in part a reflection of identity and one’s self image. Downing expands upon their individualism and humanity by giving his subjects extra facial features and limbs, shedding light on the multiplicities that exist within. The characters in his paintings are draped in layers of jackets, jerseys, hats and chains, all extensions of a larger emotional landscape and understanding of fandom.
Whether it is an expression of love for basketball, fashion, or another aspect of popular culture, a carefully curated aesthetic is only a colorful facade that gives way to understanding people on a deeper level. After the outfit is complete and the sneakers are laced up do we start to grasp a better sense of how these signifiers bring us as a society closer together.
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The opening reception will run from 5-8 pm on October 7 and is open to the general public for walk-ins. Private appointments can be made on our website to view the exhibition after the opening reception through October 28.
Jonathon Downing
Dates: October 7 -28, 2023
Reception: Saturday, October 7 | 5 - 8 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present Laced Up, a solo exhibition of five new oil paintings by Jonathon Downing in his unique style of montage painting. In his first exhibition with the gallery and in the Bay Area, Downing pays homage to professional basketball while delving into the inextricable ties it has on popular culture, fashion, iconism, measurements of success, and how these aspects have the ability to bond us as a global society.
The knitted fabric used in the laces of our sneakers and the nets hanging from basketball rims is cut from the same cloth, becoming intertwined into an unbreakable weave. - Jonathon Downing
In this series, Downing continues to explore the ways in which professional basketball fans interact with players they admire and favor through accessorization. The articles of clothing and sneakers not only signify loyalty to teams and players, but they are also in part a reflection of identity and one’s self image. Downing expands upon their individualism and humanity by giving his subjects extra facial features and limbs, shedding light on the multiplicities that exist within. The characters in his paintings are draped in layers of jackets, jerseys, hats and chains, all extensions of a larger emotional landscape and understanding of fandom.
Whether it is an expression of love for basketball, fashion, or another aspect of popular culture, a carefully curated aesthetic is only a colorful facade that gives way to understanding people on a deeper level. After the outfit is complete and the sneakers are laced up do we start to grasp a better sense of how these signifiers bring us as a society closer together.
______
The opening reception will run from 5-8 pm on October 7 and is open to the general public for walk-ins. Private appointments can be made on our website to view the exhibition after the opening reception through October 28.