"Not Where They're Supposed To Be" - Zeal HarrisSolo Exhibition at Wallspace Artist Reception Saturday November 8th, 6-9pm Wallspace 607 North La Brea, Los Angeles CA 90036 Wallspace is pleased to present the solo exhibition "Not Where They're Supposed To Be," a new series of caricaturesque story-scapes by artist Zeal Harris, on view from November 8th - December 1st. This new series of paintings illustrates contemporary narratives about characters in unexpected or “out of place” environments. Harris breaks from her racy repertoire of faux-naïve story and joke telling on what she calls "domestic-urban-academic-folk" topics and moves into large scale works inspired by dialogues between funny women-of-color who have unique views on critical contemporary international issues. The first works of this series will be featured at Wallspace and cover two themes. In the first theme, six large-scale paintings illustrate the true travel adventures of a young, Muslim, African-American woman who stays in Beirut to continue her studies after a bomb falls on the city and her boyfriend abandons her. The second theme is inspired by a comic, speculative, theatrical play called "Harvest" written by noted Indian writer and artist, Manjula Padmanabhan, which consists of works exploring the subjects of surveillance and also things taken from the human body and sold or exported--some of today's more valuable commodities. Using boldly vivid color palettes and elements of cartoon, caricature, and folk art, her artwork seduces viewers while challenging them to experience stories that carry the weight of sociopolitical activist topics stemming from gender, race, and culture. "I am a huge fan of Zeal's work and the strong current-day narrative she has within her works of everyday life and events. I am very excited to be presenting a solo show of her work here and going on this global journey with her," says Valda Lake, owner and founder of Wallspace. Harris was raised in Southern Virginia, holds an MFA from Otis College of Art & Design, and graduated from UCLA school of Film & Television. She now lives and works in Los Angeles. We look forward to seeing at the show. Harris will attend the November 8th reception but is available for interviews previous to the event. Please RSVP to art@wallspacela.com |