David MacDowell 'Abide' - 30x40 - acrylic on canvas
Working primarily with acrylics on canvas, David MacDowell is not afraid of tapping into the dark side of American media worship. He tops off celebrity renderings sprinkled with crying babies, candy colored nightmares, and a hilariously acidic sense of humor. Some have called his work a virtual “Disneyland on acid”. By bravely peeling away the veneer of pop culture, he validates the abused underbelly of society with x-ray glasses.
David MacDowell‘Lowbrow Love Letter’
Reception with the artist: Sat, April 30th 6-8PM
On view April 30th – May 14th in our project room
Look for more information to be released soon regarding a limited edition print release of ‘Abide’ (pictured above).
David MacDowell 'American Cracker' - Acrylic on canvas
“If you’re looking for one art show to attend this year, I’d like to suggest Thinkspace’s upcoming 5 Year Anniversary blow out. Established in 2005, Thinkspace is one of the few galleries who doesn’t just follow trends, they start them.” – MyModernMet.com
’5 Years / 5 Questions’ with David MacDowell
Tell us a little bit about your piece for Thinkspace’s ‘5 Year Anniversary Show’ this November?
For the past month, I thought it would be cool to paint a picture of Richard Pryor getting hit in the head by a box of crackers. The image is indicative of his humor and attitude, and it definitely makes a broad statement on issues that we like to pretend aren’t there. I think the 70’s were revolutionary with the fact that we could laugh and talk about racial unity and differences. Now everything is so politically correct, I just feel like it’s all going backwards again.
What were you doing back in 2005 when Thinkspace started?
My whole past is full of nothing but bad memories, I really hate to dredge things up! I wasn’t an artist 5 years ago, and that alone smacks of a misdirected youth.
Name 5 things you can’t live without in your studio?
Paints, Canvas, Music, Coffee and Smokes.
Where do you hope to be 5 years from now?
My goal is to stay alive and out of jail. If I can do those two simple things, everyday will be like Christmas.
What have you got coming up in 2011?
It’s been group show madness the past 2 years, so I’m weaning them out for solo shows to explode mind, body and soul in 2011. Get down, make love, let’s get funky.
‘5 Year Anniversary Show’
Group exhibition showcasing 48 artists representing our past, present and future with a featured installation from Johnny ‘KMNDZ’ Rodriguez
Dave MacDowell 'Fly' - featured in 'Bad Dads: A Tribute To Wes Anderson'
In honor of one of America’s most beloved filmmakers, Spoke Art has put together ‘Bad Dads: A Tribute To Wes Anderson’ which is being held at LoPo Gallery up in San Francisco this weekend. The show features over 70 artists including amazing contributions from Thinkspace family members Dave MacDowell (pictured above), Dabs Myla, Caia Koopman, and Ana Bagayan.
All the artists in the show have been given carte blanche with their interpretations of the characters and stories that have become deeply embedded in cult film psyche. Anderson’s screenplays typically revolve around bizarre family dynamics and deeply flawed patriarchal characters hellbent on redemption including such iconic film characters as Max Fisher (Rushmore), Eli Cash (Royal Tenenbaums) and Steve Zissou (The Life Aquatic).
“Matthew Feyld combines fantasy, reality, and optically operative patterning into a new series of super-flat, cartoonish paintings that could easily be the result of South Park animators taking down Victor Vasarely at a Cut&Paste tourney. In the project room, Virginia’s David MacDowell goes hog-wild on his peculiar vision of a jumbled-up American culture, wherein movies, music, strange characters, and politics are all complicit in the violent surrealism of modern life — as well as in the crisp hyper-realism of his own graphically dense painting style.” – Shana Nys Dambrot / Flavorpill
A great interview with Matthew was posted a bit back, leading into this show, that I never posted by The Lumper. Check it out here.
David MacDowell “All Works and No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy”
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