FEATURED ARTISTS
Different Strokes
Surreal Meets Street
Ilona Sochynsky ascended to her position as a fine artist through the path of pop and graphic art, alongside the likes of James Rosenquist, Frank Stella and Milton Glaser. Randy ‘Kel1st’ Rodriguez made his way to recognition through the transit system of the five boroughs of New York City under the mentorship of Futura2000, Blade and Part alongside the rise of Basquiat and Keith Haring. Both were featured recently at our Salon Miami.
Ilona Sochynsky
Hypnotic Fragments
What is left after deconstruction? Witness a process of unraveling and reconstructing that begins in hyper-realism and continues into abstraction. Sochynsky “…adeptly renders interior and exterior elements, such as fabric, flora, metallic surfaces as vividly as if they were street scenes, into seamless personal narratives,” states curator A.M Weaver. The eye scans recognizable fragments, registering texture and color at the primal level, tapping into the core of emotional consciousness.
Compare & Contrast
The Blink of an Eye
The different backgrounds and experiences of these artists yield surprisingly aligned flow of form and space while using similar optical vehicles. At their core, both rely on the brain’s ability to register rapid-fire elements of message and identification, as if on flashcards, whether consumed when speedily passing a wall, or as a subway train races by. Whether by Kel1st for quick consumption, or via Sochynsky’s magnified saturation, each offers a directive to process information through minimal cues for maximal effect.
Kel 1st Emerges
History Unveiled
Urban art and specifically, Graffiti, gained a great deal of validation in its cultural relevance as a result of Henry Chalfant’s “Art Is Not A Crime” exhibit at CEART Madrid in 2018. Keep an eye out for Kel1st as he develops his range, incorporating signature bold strokes, flowing curves and elemental color in his next manifestations of urban art form as applied to classic surfaces, yet through more traditional medium.
