Kai Peter Martin

1501 S Ervay,Dallas TX 75215

06 February, 2021

Description

Kai Peter Martin’s work focuses on depictions of interiors, while ruminating on concepts of containment and of psychological space. Where: Ro2 Art | The Cedars 1501 S Ervay St. Dallas, TX 75215 When: February 6 – March 6, 2021 Opening Reception: Saturday, Feb 6, 12-5 PM Dallas, January 2021 - Ro2 Art is proud to present Close World Open Thought, a solo exhibition featuring new works by artist Kai Peter Martin. The show will run from February 6th through March 6th, 2021. The exhibition will open with an artist reception at Ro2 Art The Cedars located at 1501 S Ervay St, Dallas, TX and will take place from 12-5 PM. Kai Peter Martin’s work focuses on depictions of interiors, while ruminating on concepts of containment, place, and representations of psychological space. Martin’s landscapes are built using multiple perspectives on the same picture plane; this is both a way to delineate a physically impossible space and as a metaphor for the complexity of lived experiences. In Martin’s most recent works, the artist infuses the surface directly with pigment. There is no canvas for paint to be brushed on; here both are combined through plaster, one of art history’s most ancient mediums. This dense texture allows the artist to add another layer of mark making by etching into the work. Carving into domestic scenes in this way, Martin permeates them with a mysterious narrative. Artist Statement “My body of work centers on the use of paper pulp plaster applied to canvas with a variety of techniques. The materiality of the paper pulp plaster allows for a wide range of moves—sculptural relief, painting, drawing, etching—to find compelling ways of building up a surface and image. Some objects edge towards illusion, others are drawn on the surface and fail to fully form, and certain parts rise from the surface three-dimensionally, creating a playful dissonance in the represented space. In contrast to previous work, these new paintings begin with dry pigment mixed directly into the plaster; this pigmented plaster is then used to build up the image of an architectural space. Each block of color contributes to a radically simplified image of a domestic interior, with a pronounced texture and boundaries that are at once well-defined and slightly wobbly. On top of this, various drawing media are used to produce the effect of a skittering attention, animating the space with a tension between the large colored plaster forms and the mark-making on the surface.” About The Artist Kai Martin is a San Diego raised artist, born in January of 1986. He spent most of his childhood drawing, and thrived with his family’s loving and constant support. Like other kids his age, he perused the latest comics, cartoons, and video games. He began realizing that he had even more fun creating his own imaginary universes, characters, and projects. The freedom to create anything he could imagine on canvas sparked his artistic passion. Kai nurtured his talents with private art classes at Neko Press Art Studios and earned a graphic design degree from Platt College. He studied at Reed College in Portland, OR and at University of North Texas in Denton, TX, receiving his MFA from the latter in 2015. He did live painting on stage with the band Silent Armada, then followed that up with many live art appearances at nightclubs, bars, and gallery shows. He has shown work at comic conventions along the Western US, as well as at festivals including Riot Fest, Sonic Temple, Epicenter, and Aftershock. Projects include a horror anthology comic book called Fruition with writer Anthony Trevino, several mural projects in San Diego, and a children’s book in the works with Sean & Rachel Dietrich. About Ro2 Art Ro2 Art is a contemporary fine art gallery with spaces in The Cedars Neighborhood and Downtown Dallas, representing a diverse group of emerging, mid-career, and established contemporary artists – many with ties to the North Texas Region. The gallery, founded in 2010 by mother-and-son partners Susan Roth Romans and Jordan Roth, regularly collaborates with organizations such as The MAC and Cedars Union, and maintains an exhibition program within the Magnolia Theatre at West Village and other satellite venues. Ro2 Art has been named Dallas Observer's Best Art Gallery and was presented with the 25th Annual Obelisk Award for small business by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts. The gallery’s art fair program has included the Dallas Art Fair, Texas Contemporary, and Art Aspen. More info: http://www.ro2art.com All works will be on view February 6, 2020 – March 6, 2021. Please join us for the opening reception on Saturday, February 6, 12-5 PM at Ro2 Art, located at 1501 S Ervay St, Dallas TX 75215. For more information, visit www.Ro2art.com Where: Ro2 Art | The Cedars 1501 S Ervay St. Dallas, TX 75215 When: February 6 – March 6, 2021 Opening Reception: Saturday, Feb 6, 12-5 PM Dallas, January 2021 - Ro2 Art is proud to present Close World Open Thought, a solo exhibition featuring new works by artist Kai Peter Martin. The show will run from February 6th through March 6th, 2021. The exhibition will open with an artist reception at Ro2 Art The Cedars located at 1501 S Ervay St, Dallas, TX and will take place from 12-5 PM. Kai Peter Martin’s work focuses on depictions of interiors, while ruminating on concepts of containment, place, and representations of psychological space. Martin’s landscapes are built using multiple perspectives on the same picture plane; this is both a way to delineate a physically impossible space and as a metaphor for the complexity of lived experiences. In Martin’s most recent works, the artist infuses the surface directly with pigment. There is no canvas for paint to be brushed on; here both are combined through plaster, one of art history’s most ancient mediums. This dense texture allows the artist to add another layer of mark making by etching into the work. Carving into domestic scenes in this way, Martin permeates them with a mysterious narrative. Artist Statement “My body of work centers on the use of paper pulp plaster applied to canvas with a variety of techniques. The materiality of the paper pulp plaster allows for a wide range of moves—sculptural relief, painting, drawing, etching—to find compelling ways of building up a surface and image. Some objects edge towards illusion, others are drawn on the surface and fail to fully form, and certain parts rise from the surface three-dimensionally, creating a playful dissonance in the represented space. In contrast to previous work, these new paintings begin with dry pigment mixed directly into the plaster; this pigmented plaster is then used to build up the image of an architectural space. Each block of color contributes to a radically simplified image of a domestic interior, with a pronounced texture and boundaries that are at once well-defined and slightly wobbly. On top of this, various drawing media are used to produce the effect of a skittering attention, animating the space with a tension between the large colored plaster forms and the mark-making on the surface.” About The Artist Kai Martin is a San Diego raised artist, born in January of 1986. He spent most of his childhood drawing, and thrived with his family’s loving and constant support. Like other kids his age, he perused the latest comics, cartoons, and video games. He began realizing that he had even more fun creating his own imaginary universes, characters, and projects. The freedom to create anything he could imagine on canvas sparked his artistic passion. Kai nurtured his talents with private art classes at Neko Press Art Studios and earned a graphic design degree from Platt College. He studied at Reed College in Portland, OR and at University of North Texas in Denton, TX, receiving his MFA from the latter in 2015. He did live painting on stage with the band Silent Armada, then followed that up with many live art appearances at nightclubs, bars, and gallery shows. He has shown work at comic conventions along the Western US, as well as at festivals including Riot Fest, Sonic Temple, Epicenter, and Aftershock. Projects include a horror anthology comic book called Fruition with writer Anthony Trevino, several mural projects in San Diego, and a children’s book in the works with Sean & Rachel Dietrich. About Ro2 Art Ro2 Art is a contemporary fine art gallery with spaces in The Cedars Neighborhood and Downtown Dallas, representing a diverse group of emerging, mid-career, and established contemporary artists – many with ties to the North Texas Region. The gallery, founded in 2010 by mother-and-son partners Susan Roth Romans and Jordan Roth, regularly collaborates with organizations such as The MAC and Cedars Union, and maintains an exhibition program within the Magnolia Theatre at West Village and other satellite venues. Ro2 Art has been named Dallas Observer's Best Art Gallery and was presented with the 25th Annual Obelisk Award for small business by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts. The gallery’s art fair program has included the Dallas Art Fair, Texas Contemporary, and Art Aspen. More info: http://www.ro2art.com All works will be on view February 6, 2020 – March 6, 2021. Please join us for the opening reception on Saturday, February 6, 12-5 PM at Ro2 Art, located at 1501 S Ervay St, Dallas TX 75215. For more information, visit www.Ro2art.com