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| Reginald K Gee: Is Your Price Paid 1999, Bright Squarish Eyes 1999, Art Critic with 2.3 Billion Dollar Painting 1999, Twelve Miles to Go 1999 |
Reginald K. Gee A Retrospective
July 26th - October 12th, 2013
The David Barnett Gallery presents a Retrospective of Milwaukee artist, Reginald K. Gee. An opening reception will be held on Gallery Night & Day, Friday, July 26, 2013 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm and Saturday, July 27, 2013 from 11:00am to 5:00pm. On Gallery Night and Day, gallery visitors can meet the artist at the opening reception. The gallery is located at 1024 E. State St. at Prospect Ave. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has touted Milwaukee born, African and Native American artist, Gee, as a "budding genius ... an artistic wunderkind," who produces "stunning, complex visions" and describes his art as “tribal art-derived from Pop Culture and art magazines”. Subjects include jazz musicians, surreal landscapes, seascapes, romance, fantasy and social commentary.
David Barnett believes Gee is one of the most inventive, prolific and considerably good artists the gallery has ever represented. After breaking into the art world at an outdoor exhibition in 1986 at Milwaukee’s Performing Arts Center, this primarily self-taught artist sometimes refers to himself as a visionary Neo-Expressionistic artist. Gee incorporates his own iconic images, symbols, and numerology into his work. His paintings are figurative, abstract, surreal and narrative; they express, through the use of uninhibited color, the artist's views of contemporary society. “A good piece of art is like a splendid city. It will continually offer and you hardly receive the entirety” says Gee. The artist works mostly with acrylics on canvas, watercolor, mixed media and oil pastels. Many of these oil pastels are created on brown paper grocery bags.
In 2002, Gee participated in the Smithsonian Institute’s traveling US exhibition titled “In The Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Gee was asked to create an artwork for this exhibit which he titled “Inspiration”. The painting features quotes from the bible and Martin Luther King, Jr. while touching on the political upheaval in the 1960’s rioting.
Gee’s artistic influences include Picasso, De Kooning, Francis Bacon, Jean Michel Basquiat and David Salle. Gee’s artwork has been featured in many exhibits throughout the country which include the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Haggerty Museum of Art. The exhibit will run through October 12, 2013.
The David Barnett Gallery provides professional art consultation, appraisals, restoration and conservation, framing, lighting, custom giclee printing, delivery, and installation services. The gallery’s Van Go mobile art service brings artwork to residences and offices for “on location” selection. Viewing hours at the David Barnett Gallery are 11:00am to 5:30pm Tuesday through Friday, 11:00am to 5:00pm Saturday, or by appointment. For further information, please call (414) 271-5058.
