Interview with Marissa Reyes for ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ | Exhibition on view March 4, 2023 – March 25, 2023

Thinkspace is pleased to present Marissa ReyesFighting Fickle Feelings For You’ where she explores sexism, the self and the delicate emotions that encompass romantic relationships. She uses the symbol of the banana to objectify men, they are a mere thing that is the source of the issues within her work. She uses self-portraiture to convey the intimate emotions and conversations that we have with ourselves about the choices we make within a relationship… where she allows the viewer insight into these very intimate moments of pain, hurt, love, doubt, and fear. Her inner thoughts can sometimes be like the wild west, lawless and violent. These very serious topics are encased in that same humor she felt as a 10 year old that she still doesn’t quite understand.

Our interview with Marissa Reyes shares her first memory of being sexualized by the opposite sex, what type of super human skill she would choose to have and who would be on her ultimate dinner party guest list.

Can you share a little about your background and how you first heard of Thinkspace?

I was born in Hollywood, CA, and was raised in West Covina, CA, I grew up with a dad who was in the Marines for most of my life so I bounced around a bit, living in Cuba, Oceanside, CA, San Diego, CA, Hemet, CA but mostly spending my time in LA County/San Gabriel Valley where the bulk of my family all live. I went to school at a Junior college, Citrus College In Glendora, CA, this is where I saw a possibility that I could pursue a career in the arts. I then pursued my bachelor’s in Studio Arts at The University of La Verne which then led to me pursuing my master’s degree In Studio Arts at Claremont Graduate University. My first group show out of Grad School was at Franchise Gallery. It was after this group show that I met Andrew and was given my first opportunity to show with Thinkspace. I’d heard of Thinkspace Gallery through reading Juxtapoz over the years and it’s insane to me that I just had my first solo with them, never thought I would be in this position but that just means I have to stop doubting myself.

Your work is both playful and confrontational, can you share a bit about your journey toward developing your style? What inspired you to revisit the shared childhood experience, especially of young girls, where eating a banana is no longer harmless?

Yeah, so I didn’t develop this style until my time at Claremont Graduate University. Throughout my undergraduate experience from Junior college to the University of La Verne where I received my BA in Studio Arts, I was super obsessed with figure drawing and Art History. I took as many classes as I could in those subjects. I fell in love with Rembrandt van Rijn’s self-portraits and how he used them to document his age and life. I took my skills in figure drawing and my love for Golden Age Dutch self-portraiture and in graduate school I was able to explore these ideas in depth. I found that using myself as the subject in a painting was a way, I could tell an ultimate truth, and share my experiences as a woman.

I retraced the first time I became aware of being sexualized by the opposite sex and felt it exposed a lot about myself and how I was shaped as a woman. I quickly realized by speaking to the women around me that this is a shared memory. I was driven by retribution, wanting to make things right. When I decided to take away the identity of the men and boys who had stolen my innocence and security, I made things right. I have created a safe space within my paintings for women who have been wronged and a learning space for the men who have committed the wrongdoing.

What was the most challenging piece in this exhibition? How did it help you grow as an artist?

The challenging pieces in this exhibition are the paintings where the figure lives inside a detailed background and space. ‘Personal Punishment‘ is a good example of this, the figures are set in a saloon. I love to let my figures be the focal point with not much distraction, so pushing myself to explore settings and backgrounds was incredibly fun, but challenging

Do you have any rituals that help you tap into a creative flow?

I sketch a lot, I like to make small watercolors, sketches, or color pencil drawings of paintings I want to create. This helps me visualize what will go on the next canvas.

What does a day in the studio look like for you? How do you structure your days?

A day in the studio for me usually starts with my sketchbook, I love to sketch current ideas. I feel like I have to get them out of my head and onto paper before I move on to painting for the day. I know this is going to sound super unproductive, but I have a tv in my studio and I’ll usually turn it on and play a comfort show or movie like, Harry Potter films, The Office, Game of Thrones to name a few and I’ll have it on in the background as I work. It helps me focus. Sometimes if I’m really feeling it, I’ll throw on some music. Currently listening to Tyler the Creator and Bjork. I will usually paint for hours late into the night. I stop painting when I feel it’s right and can’t go any further with the painting. I have no real time limit to spend in the studio; my only rule is that I must be there every day. I do tend to spend a lot of time in my studio. I love it.

Who is an artist or distinct piece of art that has significantly impacted how you thought about art or your own work?

Sarah Lucas’ work has had an enormous impact on my work. Seeing her sculptures for the first time changed the way I see the female figure and how I paint the female figure and why. Her work is bold and brave, she uses the female form to make important work about sexuality and societal repressiveness of women.

When do you feel most empowered and fierce like some of the banana-wielding women in your pieces?

I feel most empowered when I put on a badass outfit, some leather or latex some lashes and lipstick, and go out into the world. It’s unfortunate because I feel society has made women feel as though make-up is “bad” and we as women should not use it as something to feel more confident about because its “fake,” but I say that’s a bunch of bullshit men are saying because they have been taught through the media that women should be “naturally” beautiful. Well to that I say F that and I love me some heavy lashes, long eyeliner, and a red lip. It makes me feel powerful and sexy, and there is a lot of power in feeling sexy!

“Fighting Fickle Feelings For You” is your first solo exhibition, what advice would you give other artists who are working towards their first solo?

My advice would be to work, work and work some more!!! Procrastination is your worst enemy so put in that work.

If you could have any skill or topic downloaded into your brain, what would you want to be able to do/ be an expert at?

I would want to be a polyglot and just know an obscene number of languages.

Who would be on the guest list if you could throw a dinner party for five people, dead or alive? What would be on the menu? What would be the icebreaker question?

I’d invite Sarah Lucas, Baldur Helgason, Peter Saul, Bjork, and Artemisia Gentileschi. The Icebreaker wouldn’t be a question, but more of an assignment. I would give everyone a pencil and a sheet of paper and ask them to draw a self-portrait.

Exhibition on view through March 25, 2023 at:
Thinkspace Projects
4207 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90016

For more about the exhibition and opening night click HERE!

Photos courtesy of @BirdManPhotos.

Photo Tour of Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ and Roja’s ‘Asco’

Thinkspace presents a photo tour of  Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You.’ in Gallery III and ROJA’s ‘Asco’ in Gallery IV.

All exhibitions are on view at Thinkspace Projects now through March 25, 2023.

Photos by @BirdManPhotos.

Continue reading Photo Tour of Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ and Roja’s ‘Asco’

Virtual Tour of March Exhibitions at Thinkspace Projects | Exhibitions on view March 4 – March 25, 2023

Thinkspace presents a virtual tour of ‘Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage’ featuring new work from b. Robert Moore showing in Gallery I and the ‘F CANCER’ Charity Benefit Group Show in Gallery II. Along with Marissa Reyes‘s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ in Gallery III and Roja‘s ‘Asco‘ showing in Gallery IV.

Explore the virtual tour here: https://players.cupix.com/p/FjhgqvVD

All exhibitions are on view at Thinkspace Projects now through March 25, 2023.

Virtual tour created by Birdman.

Video Tour & Opening Reception Party of March Exhibitions featuring B. Robert Moore, Marissa Reyes, Roja, & F CANCER Charity Benefit Group Show at Thinkspace Projects

Here is the opening night recap video from this past Saturday’s reception for our March exhibitions. (Opening night photos BELOW for F Cancer Group Show, Marissa Reyes’ and Roja’s solo exhibitions!)

Many thanks to everyone who came through to support and a big round of applause to b. Robert Moore, Marissa Reyes, and Roja on their new bodies of work.

In Gallery I, strong, evocotive work stirred the non-stop full house for b. ROBERT MOOREOut the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage’. A museumesque exhibition that had our patrons deeply engaged all evening. (Opening Night photos for b. Robert Moore HERE!)

In Gallery III, YeeHaws and bananas 🍌 helped to lift spirits in MARISSA REYES’s deeply personal body of work for ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You.’

In Gallery IV, the textile based work by ROJA in ‘Asco’ wowed the crowds with its intricacies and wild narratives.

And finally in Gallery II, the emotions were deep and the support was strong surrounding our ‘F CANCER’ Group Show to raise funds for cancer research and awareness, in honor of one of our own. CLICK HERE to see the roster of participating artists.

THANK YOU so very much to all the artists who took part and literally dropped everything in their busy schedules when we put this show together a mere six weeks ago. I can not thank you all enough. Still in awe of the special works you all submitted. ❤️

THANK YOU to everyone that has supported this show by purchasing a work, has shared word about it, taken the time to send us a note of support, shared your own painful stories of loved one’s battle with this evil disease, and shared alternative remedies, as we are open to any and all.

This art community is our family and you all really have made Shawn feel so very, very loved and it’s rare to get your flowers, as they say, before you pass on to the next plane of being. Last evening was special on so many levels.

We simply cannot thank you all enough. It has put some much needed extra fuel in our collective tanks for the battle ahead. Now to fight like we have never fought before. Shawn forever.

F*ck you, cancer. F*ck you. To learn more about all the American Cancer Society do, or to make a donation, please check here: www.cancer.org

Shout outs to Venice Beats, GoopmasstaThe Roll N’ Bunn,  Digital Debris Video Gallery, B9RK, Gonga, Roshi, Made Fresh Shop, Society of Shadows and Timeless Brand for helping provide great vibes for all in attendance.

All four exhibits remain on view until March 25, 2023.

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12-6pm. Viewing Rooms for each show are now live on our website.

Video + photos courtesy @BirdManPhotos

Continue reading Video Tour & Opening Reception Party of March Exhibitions featuring B. Robert Moore, Marissa Reyes, Roja, & F CANCER Charity Benefit Group Show at Thinkspace Projects

March Exhibitions featuring B. Robert Moore, Marissa Reyes, Roja, & F CANCER Charity Benefit Group Show Open March 4th at Thinkspace Projects

B. ROBERT MOORE
Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage

F CANCER
Group Show to benefit the American Cancer Society

MARISSA REYES
Fighting Fickle Feelings For You

ROJA
Asco

Opening Reception on Saturday, March 4 from 6-10pm with DJ’s Venice Beats, open bar + free drinks from Liquid Death, video projections from Digital Debris, artist installations, live painting, and food vendors TBA.

Exhibitions on view March 4, 2023 – March 25, 2023

B. ROBERT MOORE
Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage

Show Statement:
Most the time, when you born Black in America, you don’t have the same rights. For many, it’s even harder, you might not even survive.

As I heard growing up, “Get It Out The Mud”. *

From birth, diggin’ out the mud, working to get it how you can with little to no help. Most the time, mud pulls you down, so you got adversity all around you. Constant weight.

It’s survival until you finally out the mud.

For this debut solo, b. Robert Moore, lays out his experience as a Black American, in the perspective of a linear Rite of Passage. As his experiences, and as a Black community in America.

In many African societies, art plays an important role in various rites of passage throughout the cycle of life. These rituals mark an individual’s transition from one stage of life to another. The birth of a child, a youth’s coming of age, and the funeral of a respected elder are all events in which an individual undergoes a change of status. During these transitional periods, individuals are considered to be especially vulnerable to spiritual forces. Art objects are therefore created and employed to assist in the rite of passage and to reinforce community values. **

A Rite of Passage can be different depending on culture, tribe, region, etc.; however, it’s understood generally as important life events as you cycle through stages of “life” and or after life.

For many Black Americans, we have no direct understanding of our traditional African tribes rite of passage. Our only Rite Of Passage is what we have inherited being born descendants of African slaves here in America. For many, birth and childhood are traumatic, coming of age is a form of warfare (if we even survive), conditioned to not understand martial structure, religious confusion through manipulation, death…. And more.

In hopes that our coming of Age, our Rite of Passage, is to make it past the age of 25….

If we do, some of us may even thrive. We may even find a smile. We may recreate. We may be the rose that grew from concrete.

Out The Mud.

References and Credits:

*Ref: My Grandma “Get It Out The Mud”
Out The Mud: The phrase “out the mud” means to come from the bottom of something and rise to the top. (Virginia Thomas)

**Ref: Khan Academy ‘Rites of Passages’ // Dr. Crista De Clarke // (Metropolitan Museum of Art New York)

About the artist…
b. Robert Moore (b.1983-) Des Moines, Iowa | Lakewood, California. Robert, a multidisciplinary contemporary artist started painting to counter drug addiction and alcoholism among mental and emotional health outlets. A self taught folk artist, Robert’s mastery is infant but seasoned and continues to be a focus of his practice. Mastery of his passion.

To Robert, he is constantly in pursuit of happiness, which in his current state is defined by fulfillment + purpose. He finds purpose in connecting narrative and opening doors for connection, relation, healing, discussion. From up-cycled sculpture to abstract portrait and urban neo-expressionism, Robert has defined his genre or style as “narrative”. He is purposeful with every word, brushstroke and connection to the work with contention if intentionally or accidental occurrences influenced the work.

Like many human and human experiences, the exterior never truly tells how the person was composed within the interior or influences/experiences that impacted them and so human nature typically has a subjective stance. Robert attempts to strip away those subjective “soft” assumptions of narrative, instead, calling it out directly. That is the goal in his work, to conflict and provoke thought of narrative of African and African American diaspora as well as social and civil experiences of underrepresented people + narrative. A true representation of his experiences through a collective community lens.
“As a recovering alcoholic and addict, art is my therapy and I find fulfillment in producing the work as a healthy alternative to addiction and mental health disorders (a/k/a super powers). As long as I am representing the underrepresented narrative and narrative that exposes the most vulnerable forms of authenticity and growth, then I find this as a form of currency to me”. Blessings & Good Vibes –

For Robert, art should be felt, not just seen.

F CANCER
Group Show to benefit the American Cancer Society

25% of each sale to be donated to the American Cancer Society

Our guiding light and gallery co-founder Shawn Hosner was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer and it has tossed our entire world upside down and into the air. She’s lovingly referred to as “gallery mom” and she means so much, to so many around the world.

Our fight has just begun and we want to be sure that every member of our extended family and all of our supporters around the world know of her fight and are sharing their good energy and prayers for her. We want to use her fight as a vehicle to also help others that are facing this horrible disease head on and fighting for their lives.

All of us at the gallery have experienced the loss of friends and close loved ones over the years due to this dreaded disease and now that it has entered our home and is staring us directly in the face, we aim to do all we can to help spread awareness on early detection and what you can do to avoid this nightmare entering your life. F cancer!!!

Participating Artists include:
Alex Face
Langston Allston
Esao Andrews
Sean Banister
Craig ‘Skibs’ Barker
Chloe Becky
Stephanie Buer
James Bullough
Liz Brizzi
Adam Caldwell
Victoria Cassinova
Young-Ji Cha
Sandra Chevrier
Anthony Clarkson
L. Croskey
Dulk (aka Antonio Segura)
Ken Flewellyn
Sergio Garcia
Giorgiko
Goopmassta
Andrea Guzzetta
Anthony Hurd
Cody Jimenez
Haylie Jimenez
Sydnie Jimenez
Ozzie Juarez
Audrey Kawasaki
Josh Keyes
Scott Listfield
Spenser Little
Huntz Liu
Lost Object (aka Hyland Mather)
Kayla Mahaffey
Mando Marie
Marie-Claude Marquis
Brian Mashburn
Kristy Moreno
Alvaro Naddeo
Tran Nguyen
Perez Bros
RYOL (aka Ryo Laksamana)
Sentrock
Amy Sol
Stom500
Super A (aka Stefan Thelen)
TRNZ
Yosuke Ueno
Mark Dean Veca
Nuno Viegas
Roos van der Vliet
Cinta Vidal
Nuno Viegas
Kelly Vivanco
Brian M. Viveros
Wiley Wallace
Daniel Weintraub (aka Halopigg)
Casey Weldon
Jasper Wong
Brad Woodfin
Manuel Zamudio

To learn more about all the American Cancer Society do, or to make a donation, please check here: www.cancer.org

ROJA
Asco

Times is organized around damage. Moves across, an undaunted predator. An animal eating from our heart, and against which we react with nostalgia or with the burning gesture of revenge. But here there is no yearning. There is fury, there is rage, there is nastiness. And the alternative -both its poignancy and its affliction- that the work seems to suggest, is: facing the annihilation of time, self-destruction; facing its nightmare, hallucination.

If the apocalypse, recurring theme in the work, stem from revelation, perhaps we should wonder if what that brings to light is not the bad conscience of society. Its infected beauty, its aberration. The <> in which we do not tolerate recognizing ourselves.

About the artist…
Born in 1987, Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut in Argentina where she tudied plastic arts at the UNLP with orientation to ceramics and engraving.

Her studies also included make-up and costumes at the theater school of La Plata. Roa also attended the special effects workshop at FX (School of special effects) and studied Art Direction at SICA.

Recently her focus has shifted after she attended an embroidery courses at the Border Workshop with Florencia Russi and at TAE (Escuela del Teatro Argentino), among others.

She has also worked as a make-up artist in several theatrical plays and fashion shoots. Since 2010, Roja works in art direction, where she has made music videos, movies and short series.

MARISSA REYES
Fighting Fickle Feelings For You

Marissa Reyes examines representations of the female body and to articulate sites of agency and resistance to surveillance and shame. Utilizing a visual culture of psychosexuality and psychological intimacy, she interrogates ways in which depictions of the female nude can be removed from historical regimes and systemic lenses of oppression and hypersexualization. Her self-portraits provide a safe space for the female body to experience personal and private narratives of pain, desire, doubt, and fear.

As a woman, most of us all have that moment we remember in grade school. We are sitting at the lunch table about to enjoy a tasty banana, when suddenly a group of boys behind you burst into laughter. You turn to see what the boys are laughing at, only to find it is you they are laughing at. They are making phallic jokes about the banana you are eating; you sit there confused and embarrassed and not understanding why you feel this way. Being sexualized at such an early age while eating a piece of fruit has altered the way I see men and the way I see myself. This thought has lingered in my mind for the past 22 years.

In this new body of work, I explore sexism, the self and the delicate emotions that encompass romantic relationships. I use the symbol of the banana to objectify men, they are a mere thing that is the source of the issues within my work. I use self-portraiture to convey the intimate emotions and conversations that we have with ourselves about the choices we make within a relationship. These emotions can be very intense and private. I allow the viewer insight into these very intimate moments of pain, hurt, love, doubt, and fear. My inner thoughts can sometimes be like the wild west, lawless and violent. These very serious topics are encased in that same humor I felt as a 10 year old that I still don’t quite understand.

About the artist…
Marissa Reyes (b.1991) is an oil painter who lives and works in San Bernardino, California. She holds a BA in Studio Art from The University of La Verne, followed by an MFA from Claremont Graduate University. The artist’s solo and group exhibitions include Humorous Hubris (2022), at East Gallery of Claremont Graduate University and 1° of Separation (2022), at Franchise in Los Angeles. Reyes’ most recent exhibitions include Raiz (2023), with Thinkspace Gallery at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale and Sunset Unlimited Curated by Devin Troy Strother (2023), at Intersect Palm Springs Art and Design Fair with The Pit LA in Palm Springs.