The Known Gallery was packed to capacity last weekend for the opening of the show “Excavated Encounters,” which featured new works by ZES and RETNA, members of the legendary MSK graffiti crew, and frontrunners of what is being called the “contemporary graffiti movement.”
The front gallery space was filled with large canvases painted by ZES. He densely layered applied paint in sweeping circular and geometric strokes to create hypnotic abstractions. Many of them popped with a spectrum of vibrant colors, while the pieces with a more subtle color palate allowed you to completely get lost in the painting.
Tucked in the back room of the gallery were two of the most outstanding works in the show, RETNA’s signature calligraphic letters engraved with precision into wood panels from a demolished home. RENTA also debuted a number of elegant etchings – one of the oldest printmaking methods. During the printing process he applied a number of additional layers to create a texture on the prints that is similar to the walls he traditionally paints on.
This show emphasizes the evolution of RETNA and ZES as artists, as they continue to bridge the gap between art in the streets and the world of white walls.
-Alexis W.
Photos by Jenny B.
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