Carmichael Gallery Presents -

Caleb Neelon Is Working On It
Solo Exhibit by Caleb Neelon

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10, 2008, 8 PM - Midnight
Exhibition Dates: May 10 - June 1, 2008

1257 N. La Brea Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90038
(Fountain and La Brea)

Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art is pleased to announce Caleb Neelon Is Working on It, a solo exhibition of artist, writer and educator extraordinaire, Caleb Neelon. In addition to a sculptural centerpiece, more than 15 new acrylic and gouache paintings will be on display at the gallery. This will be Neelon’s first solo exhibition on the West Coast. In conjunction with his site-specific gallery installation, Neelon will execute a landmark mural on La Brea Avenue near the Carmichael Gallery, unifying his exhibition in the public realm.

Dream-like characters, rickety towers, and maritime scenes are frequent subjects of both Neelon’s street and gallery art. For this exhibition however, the New England native introduces a new visual theme-leaves. In many of these works, leaves, which represent those from beech trees, consume the visual plane in a frenzy of vibrant color. For Neelon, they are a symbol of strength and hope. Beech leaves are naturally acidic and as they fall in Autumn and cover the ground, they prevent anything but their kind from sprouting through the earth. "The leaves, even in their deaths, are acting to preserve their own to come and keep that hope of the future going."

In Paper 1, leaves in cool hues hover in a restless cluster against a crystal blue sky, seemingly suspended mid-season (perhaps waiting for a change of season), while in Fallout, the leaves evolve into a dense whirlwind of activity. In Belief Mountain, Neelon incorporates boats sinking into a sea of leaves while anamorphic towers erupt from the chaos, leaves exploding from their tips. The works are playful and spontaneous, utilizing the same vibrant colors found in Neelon's public mural work throughout the world.

Perhaps it is his work as a street artist and role as educator that allows Neelon's vision to remain accessible both on an immediate and abstract level. Although the pieces mark the artist's personal exploration of the passage of time, change, death and rebirth, there is also a universal thread within each composition. "The leaf paintings mark a new direction for me in that they exchange my recent work's emphasis on narrative for one which is more open ended."

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in 1976 in Boston and based in neighboring Cambridge, Caleb Neelon is an artist, writer, and educator. His paintings and installation artwork have appeared in exhibitions, books, magazines and public places throughout Kathmandu, Reykjavik, Bermuda, Calcutta, Sao Paulo, Europe and America. He is co-author of the Thames and Hudson book Graffiti Brasil and Street World from Thames and Hudson, Abrams and other international co-editions, author and illustrator of the children's book, Lilman Makes a Name for Himself, and a collaborator on nearly a dozen other books. He is an editor at the popular culture hardbound bi-monthly Swindle, and a contributing writer to Print, Juxtapoz, and many other magazines and journals. Neelon has lectured at several international conferences and festivals, as well as Harvard Law School, Bates College, Northeastern University, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he received his Master’s in Education. Caleb Neelon's Book of Awesome, is being published by Ginko Press and will be released this year.

ABOUT CARMICHAEL GALLERY

Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art exhibits international, emerging artists with backgrounds in street art, illustration, outsider art, and design. With an emphasis on creating an environment for contemporary artists to experiment and exhibit new directions of their work, Carmichael Gallery provides many of their artists their first U.S. group and solo exhibitions, quickly establishing artist growth and recognition in a global art marketplace and introducing eclectic cultural styles to collectors and audiences.

After moving to Los Angeles in September 2006, husband and wife duo Seth and Elisa Carmichael began to curate shows in various locations around the city, frequently converting raw retail spaces, high-end luxury lofts, and other non-traditional spaces into alternative galleries. In August 2007, the co-curators secured a permanent space on La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood, CA, founding Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art. The Carmichaels bring the raw, spontaneous aesthetic of a project space to their gallery, allowing for artist collaboration and community.

Carmichael Gallery is located at 1257 N. La Brea Avenue, on the SW corner of La Brea and Fountain, West Hollywood, CA 90038. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and by appointment. For more information, please visit our website www.carmichaelgallery.com, email art@carmichaelgallery.com, or call 323.969.0600