PANDAMONIUM
Opening: Sat, June 7, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Exhibition: June 7 - June 27, 2014
Flower Pepper Gallery is pleased to present Pandamonium, a collection of works by 50 skilled and imaginative artists, inspired by one of the world’s most beloved creatures, Ailuropoda Melanoleuca, or as it is more commonly known, the Giant Panda. Limited in numbers, these majestic animals exist primarily within the wild and are widely recognized as the ambassadors for all endangered species. A rare and elusive species, the panda primarily lives within the remote mountainous regions of central China. The panda is loved worldwide for its playful nature and unique marks and coloration, lending itself to be a favorite muse for many artists.
“Giant pandas are the world's most adored animal for a very simple reason: they set off an almost sublime combination of 'hedonic mechanisms.' The big eyes in their black sockets, the round face, the pug nose, the way giant pandas tumble about like toddlers: There is considerable evidence that these things are what are known as innate releasers to our parenting instincts,'' says Dr. Coons, a New York University psychologist who studies the mechanics of pleasure and pain.
Pandamonium artist Luciano Martinez says, “My piece 'Unraveling Time', investigates the nature of animal spirits within ancient tribal cultures that believe these spirits have the power to undo disease and sickness." And in fact, in addition to the panda’s overwhelming appeal, a recent study, published by a group of Chinese scientists in the journal Gene, found an antimicrobial compound, cathelicidin-AM, in the panda genome that killed both standard and drug-resistant strains of many microorganisms, (the compound had been synthetically reproduced in a lab).
According to the IUCN / International Union for Conservation of Nature, it’s estimated that species today are becoming extinct at a rate between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the expected natural extinction rate. One of the major causes is habitat loss. The panda’s inherent cuteness and celebrity level status have helped spearhead conservation efforts and serve as a reminder to us all of the essential connection between humanity and the wild.
Please join us on June 7th, 2014 at Flower Pepper Gallery and let these marvelous banded bears be your guide on an irresistibly captivating journey into the wild.
The reception is open to the public and on view until June 27th, 2014.
Participating artists:
Airom Bleicher, Alice Pine, Amy Fry, Ania Tomicka, Anna Chung, Corrie Gregory, Crowded Teeth, Cuddly Rigor Mortis, Daisy Church, David Chung, Desiree Fessler, Edward Cao, Erich J. Moffitt, Ghost Ghost Teeth, Graham Curran, Heather Gross, Jel Ena, Jeni Yang, Jeremiah Ketner, Jin Kim, Jon Lau, Joshua Roman, Juan Muniz, Julianna Swaney, Keith Dugas, KiSung Koh, Leila Ataya, Lisa Congdon, Lilstickyrice, Luciano Martinez, Martin Hsu, Nicole Bruckman, Paige Jiyoung Moon, Patrick Whitehorn, Paul Barnes, Raymond Sanchez, Robert Yancy, Roland Tamayo, Ruel Pascual, Sinae Park, 64 Colors, Stephen Holman, Susanne Apgar, Tiffany Liu, Tory Lin, Walt Hall, Yejin Oh, Yevgeniya Mikhailik