MARK BENNETT
new drawings
March 2 – April 7, 2007
Conner Contemporary Art is delighted to announce an exhibition of new drawings by Los Angeles based artist Mark Bennett. Bennett’s latest architectural drawings of movie homes from big-screen hits, including Gone With the Wind, Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolfe and Rosemary’s Baby, enhance his series At the Picture Show.
In these India ink drawings on graph paper, the artist applies the signature style he introduced in blue-print drafts of TV sitcom homes featured in small-screen favorites such as The Honeymooners and I Dream of Jeannie. BY creating detailed schematics of environments for dramatic action Bennett stimulates his audience to relive their memories of these films. The spiral staircase in Home of Norma Desmond instantly evokes the iconic imagery of Gloria Swanson’s performance in the final scene of Sunset Boulevard . The drawing also stimulates us to relive personal feelings associated with our reactions to viewing the film. It is through in these processes of imaginative reenactment and reattachment that Bennett’s art realizes its fullest and richest form of being.
There will be an opening night reception Friday, March 2nd from 6 to 8pm. The artist will be in attendance.
The gallery is also pleased to announce Discuss 8: Saturday, March 3rd @ 3pm with gallery artists Mark Bennett and Zoe Charlton in conversation on contemporary culture, their drawings and growing up in the South.
Now in its second year, the Discuss series continues to go beyond the typical artist talk format, pairing gallery artists in conversation with each other as well as their peers, outside curators and collectors. Each Discuss conversation is available for mp3 download or via subscription on the gallery website @: http://www.connercontemporary.com/audio/ or on itunes @: http://www.itunes.com.
Conner Contemporary Art is located at 1730 Connecticut Avenue, NW – 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20009.
Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10am to 5pm and by appointment. For further information or visuals contact Karyn Miller at 202 588 8750 or at km@connercontemporary.com.
