Roman Candles July 18, 2009

Exhibit By Artists Craig “Skibs” Barker, Jeff Felker, and Michael Pukac
Opens At The Box Gallery On July 18, 2009

To commemorate the date of the burning of Rome, The Box contemporary art gallery is proud to present new works by artists Craig “Skibs” Barker, Jeff Felker, and Michael Pukac. This collection of mixed media figurative paintings will open at the Costa Mesa gallery on Saturday, July 18, 2009, from 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM. The exhibition will run through October 3, 2009.

July 18 marks the anniversary of the most known burning of Rome, where in 64 A.D., popular legend reports Nero played his lyre after setting fire to the imperial city. Though contemporary historical texts disagree on the responsibility and duration of the incident, its cultural significance remains extant even in the present. With a suspicious nod to Nero and his curious relation to the feminine as well as an acknowledgement to the import of the date, artists Craig “Skibs” Barker, Jeff Felker, and Michael Pukac have joined us in commemoration and in tribute to the female form.

Craig “Skibs” Barker combines pop and punk, personal history and archetypes, the intimate and the voyeur, to create his images of the female form. His mixed media paintings are a unique snapshot into both the psyche and the situation of his subject, producing a semi-narrative, documentary image of form and desire.

Sacramento based artist, Jeff Felker, creates visual narratives exploring themes reformulated from both life and literature. Emotions, dreams, reality and color contrast to form poignant yet sometimes unsettling images. His paintings betray universal emotions in unique circumstances.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Michael Pukac’s works seem to reside in a dualism. Esoteric, yet accessible, surreal yet somehow classic, serious yet whimsical, Pukac manipulates metallic and acrylic in an inventive, fresh manner to achieve heartfelt depictions of the heroic feminine.

Fire dancing troupe Sirena Serpentina will perform after dark.

Official Website: http://www.boxboxbox.com