On May 30, Center on Halsted's LGBTQ Artists Gallery unveiled two new collections featuring gay artists Paul Riley and Sam Kirk.
In the second-floor gallery, Riley's "photo mash-ups" question the capability of viewers to identify both familiar and unfamiliar images in a layered context. One floor up, Kirk's paintings possess a theme of provocation developed through her lived experiences and collected identities.
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"My creative juices stopped flowing because I let the hectic parts of life and daily routine get in the way," said Riley, "so my friend Ben and I founded this project to create something original every day of the year."
Riley always keeps a small camera in his pocket and captures photos while completing day-to-day activities like walking to work, shopping for groceries and relaxing at home. His collection features entirely new images created by layering multiple digital prints and each picture is identified by the month and day the photos were taken. Riley said he hopes to continue exploring the idea of "photo mash-ups": "It has awakened a lot of other creative ideas and I want to see where this will take me."
Kirk explained, "All of my work is about the celebration of culture. The majority of what I do is look at communities and cities and develop an interpretation based on my experiences."
Kirk utilizes vibrant colors to create striking images so as to impact others to feel, see, and understand difference around them. When asked how Kirk sees her art developing in the coming years, she said, "I have always focused on different parts of my heritage if it is my Puerto Rican side or Mexican side or Irish side, but I have never explored what it is like to be multicultural. I am excited to move in that direction as I transition to Brooklyn."
David Joseph curates the LGBTQ Artists Gallery, and rotates artists' works every six weeks to highlight the success of individuals working in the community. Kirk's and Paul Riley's exhibits will run at the center, 3656 N. Halsted St., through July 8.
Photos and text by Phillip-John Puzzo