New Paintings by Micah LeBrun / Thursday February 7th – March 1st, 2008

111 Minna Gallery is proud to present new paintings by Micah LeBrun for his solo exhibition, HARMONIC SILENCE. The Gallery will host an artist reception Thursday, February 7^th at 6 pm with a special sound installation and live performance by Bob America. The reception is FREE and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view Thursday, February 7 through March 1st. 111 Minna Gallery is located at the corner of Minna and 2^nd Streets in downtown San Francisco.

For Micah’s fourth solo exhibition with 111 Minna Gallery, he has created a show inspired by “the bliss of the unknown, the ignorance and the lies…” with his reaction to the war in Iraq.

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“I was in Thailand in 2003 when the United States invaded Iraq. It was surreal and somewhat relieving to be so far away from my country and it’s supposed preemptive strike against a country which may or may not have posed a significant and immediate threat to the U.S. Due to the major controversy surrounding all war, but more directly the current, I have felt I should paint about war ever since that time I was in Thailand. Being so far away, during such a chaotic and serious time, removed me from the initial concerns, protests, and reactions which stemmed from fellow Americans. I was in a bubble, as they say…and I returned home to yet another bubble.  As the war has raged on and given birth to so many different facets, I feel that I am more removed from war than ever. As I entered my studio to paint this next body of work about war, I realized that I don’t know the first thing about it. I felt that I couldn’t honestly portray anything real about a war; that I know nothing about it due to little access to any real truth regarding this war. I could not force images about something I no nothing about and quite honestly am growing more numb to on a daily basis; mainly due to just being a typical American. I’m not a soldier or a politician or journalist…I’m an artist…and I’m in the dark on the issue.

Through my frustration, I realized there is honesty in the images I paint during this time of war; that what I paint, weather I am consciously trying to paint about war or not, are affected by it. So, with war and what I feel the topic embodies, in mind, I have painted a body of work with less control than I normally exercise. For this show, I have further explored oil paint, which like war, I know very little about. I have placed images of iconic objects of war within the paintings, to somehow connect them with the viewer and my original intention. I feel that some of the work may be perceived as unpleasant and possibly controversial, but I wish to leave it’s purpose and intention open to interpretation. On the other hand, some paintings bear no visual or direct connection to war what so ever, but they may possibly serve as an unconscious retreat from an issue so severe.

The title of the show, Harmonic Silence, is in relation to the bubble of which I mentioned…the bliss of the unknown, the ignorance and the lies.” – Micah LeBrun.

“After painting with acrylic for twelve years, I am just coming to the completion of one year working w/ oil paint… I’m still learning so much about the medium w/ each new painting, but am beginning to see the paint portray the feelings, within my ideas, more clearly. The Harmonic Silence show will consist of seven major pieces, which all consist of one large focal point/painting, accompanied by small works to create series of works within the show. The show will be structured differently in this since and also financially, as all paintings will only be available for sale as a complete series..” 

www.micahlebrun.com

Established in 1993 in downtown San Francisco 111 Minna Gallery is in the business of Art & Leisure. The gallery showcases a unique blend of local and international artists, world class DJ’s, live performance, and film screenings in an elegantly urban and ever-changing 4,000 square foot space. The gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 12-9 pm and nightly on a rotating schedule for special events. 111 Minna Gallery is located at the corner of Minna and 2^nd Street in downtown San Francisco. The Gallery offers a full bar and welcomes ages 21 and over.

Curator Contact: Gabe Scott, 415.974.1719 scott.gabe@gmail.com