Adreon Henry's One-Line Drawings opens at Super! Alright! [Art Preview]

Adreon Henry’s One-Line Drawings
Saturday, October 18 - Saturday, November 8
Super! Alright! (310 Chicon)
Opening reception, Saturday, Oct. 18, 7-11 p.m.,
[info]

As a kid Adreon Henry would sketch forlorn-looking characters on the backs of church bulletins and in the margins of his textbooks – any place where there was a bit of white space. He created these fitfully-drawn creatures (monsters, nuns riding dogs, magicians, etc.) to keep him from being lonely at school, at summer camp, at church, or wherever. All grown up Henry (who lives in Austin) is still sketching (and painting, and drumming, among other things) but now he’s decided to share his work with the rest of us.

A collection of his art, based on one-line drawings opens Saturday at Super! Alright!. This is the premiere show at the new East side art space, which was created by the folks of Super! Alright! – a creative network of writers, designers, directors, musicians, artist and producers.

"We feel like we have an ideal space for art exhibitions and installations," said Jacob Villanueva, interactive director of Super! Alright! "With Austin having such a strong talent pool, we want to give both national and local artist the chance to show their work and share their ideas."

Henry's work fits right in with the Super! Alright! vision. The tragically comic images he depicts represent themes of nostalgia, abandonment and the joy of isolation. His pieces are deconstructed sketches screen printed on to slick vinyl. This artistic method allows Henry to manipulate and repeat the same image, which conjures up comparisons to another print artist, Andy Warhol.

"Although a painting might be based on a certain one-line sketch or drawing it might show up three or four times within the painting," Henry said. "Screen printing, as a medium, makes repetition possible, which can be associated with pop art. This repetition combined with shapes and contrasting color schemes gives the show a pop element, but in a street friendly sort of way; a cracked out Warhol, maybe?"

Adreon Henry’s One-Line Drawings will be on display at Super! Alright! through November 8.

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