111 MINNA GALLERY Presents:
 CIRCUS! | 
May 1-30, 2008

111 Minna Gallery is delighted to present Plock+Tunstall’s CIRCUS, a new body of collaborative works, from May 1-28.

The latest large-scale collaborative exhibition by San Francisco-based artists Ferris Plock and Kelly Tunstall, CIRCUS! is an entirely new body of work that uses circus life to inspect journeys, innocence and artifice.

Their previous, and first, collaborative exhibition at 111 Minna , Saints and Sinners, was well received, as was their Fall 2007 show, Subterranea, at Fuse Gallery in New York. Further integration of the two styles have resulted in an elegant and expanded view on the masculine and feminine dialogue, as well as evolving their concepts and separate artistic processes into a continually evolving combination of drawing and painting methods.

Working in acrylic, collage, spray paint, pencil, pen and ink, gold leaf (and some secret sauce), the experimental, yet classically grounded works live comfortably in a space between graphic expression, stylized representation, surrealism, and sketch. The simplicity of the messages is enhanced by the underlying vitality and complex layering within the work.

In her studied portraits, Tunstall renders stylized, leggy female figures and their pets, prey, powers, dreams and. Their physical forms and accompanying exteriors represent and mirror internal thought processes ad turmoil. For instance, frequent themes such as mermaids, twins, or extra limbs concede a desire, a reliance, an adaptation, or more simply, an aspiration to something greater than being a painting. Tunstall has gone on to exhibit internationally and nationally. This is Tunstall’s fourth major exhibition at 111 Minna.

In contrast, Plock’s work centers on the inner animalistic tendencies and reactions reflected by humans (transfigured into monsters, in some cases) in the context of modern life.  Disgruntled animals trying to capture clowns, animals teaching their young how to escape their predicament and even animals that don’t always socialize coming together to aid each other feature prominently in this new exhibit. Born in New Jersey, Plock has been showing his work for over eight years.

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 2nd 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

For more information go to www.111minnagallery.com

New works by JAY HOWELL
March 6-29th

Opening Reception: March 6th at 6pm

111 Minna Gallery is delighted to present Jay Howell’s PUNKS GIT CUT showing new paintings, photos and animations exhibiting March 6 - 29th. The Gallery will host an artist reception Thursday, March 6th at 6pm with San Francisco band, The Jizz performing live plus special guest DJ’s spinning tunes throughout the evening. The reception is FREE and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view from Thursday, March 6th through March 29th. 111 Minna Gallery is located at the corner of Minna and 2nd Streets in downtown San Francisco.

San Francisco’s raconteur of the arts and music scene - painter, cartoonist, publisher, DJ, cyclist, and dog lover, Jay Howell, will present his first major solo show.

"It sounds silly, but I just want people to laugh, it means so much to me and nothing else matters."
– J. Howell

As with all his endeavors Jay brings to the PUNKS GIT CUT exhibition the same spirit of invention and authentic outlook that characterize his zine of the same name that he has been publishing for the last twelve years.

After flunking out of Art School in only six months Howell, professing an “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing and I don’t care” attitude, kept drawing – gross cartoons, funny cartoons – going on to create skateboard graphics for Antihero and Consolidated. He exaggerates the eccentricities of the human character while simultaneously generalizing about our wide range of shared characteristics like boners and cute dogs.

Jay is the author of countless books and zines, most recently the instructional guides; Dog and Dog Information and Let Me Tell You Where to Stick It (with Audrey Erickson). Jay is also co-owner of the record label Mount Saint Mountain, who with partner Mark Kaiser, has continued to put out great records for the last several years. For more information go to: www.punksgitcut.blogspot.com or mtstmtn.com.

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