Down By The River is the second Berlin solo exhibition by LA based artist Erik Mark Sandberg. Since graduating with distinction from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena in 2002, Sandberg has been in over 50 group exhibitions throughout all corners of the globe, including International Art Fairs in Cologne, Spain, Seoul, London, Helsinki, and Miami, and has held solo exhibitions in New York, Barcelona, Berlin, Australia, and Pasadena.
Drawing from contemporary consumer culture and its psychological effects on those most susceptible to the relentless bombardment of mass marketing - the young – Sandberg’s paintings, and sculptures create an uncanny portrait gallery of hairy adolescents.
The grotesque hirsutism of Sandberg’s subjects serves as a metaphor for the perversion and exploitation inherent in contemporary consumer culture and the double-edged promise of overnight fame epitomised by Los Angeles.
Sandberg describes his work as beginning with “observations of daily life, whether it’s a story in the news, [or] some dysfunctional family I see walking through Kmart.” His hairy adolescents were conceived of amidst alarmist news reports of tap water contaminated by prescription drugs, Raunch Culture fueled promiscuity and schoolyard addictions to Flaming Hot Cheetos. The nostalgic pop culture icons are autobiographical references to growing up with Wrestle Mania, GI Joe, He-Man and other manifestations of eighties materialism and idolatry, while the neon palette forms an assault on the senses akin to the “constant rotting of fruit in the sun.” Yet Sandberg’s hairy children manage to be surprisingly endearing.
(Picture above: Erik Mark Sandberg "Sky with leopard tee and boots", ink, acrylic, air-brush and oil canvas, 122 x 244 cm)
Biography
*1975 born in Farmington Minnesota (US) 2003 BFA at Art Centre College of Design, Pasadena
/ currently living and working in Los Angeles
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2011 Get Pretty Now. Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
2010 Wonderfully Nutritious. MITO Contemporary Art Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2009 Picture Day in the Garden. Johannsen Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2008 The Equilibrium of Glamour. Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
2005 Project Room. Mendenhall Sobieski Gallery. Pasadena, CA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010 Art.Fair 21. 21st Century Art Fair. Cologne, Germany
2010 ArtSantander. International Fair of Contemporary Art. Santander, Spain
2010 KIAF. Korean International Art Fair, Seoul, Korea
2010 Survey Select. Curated by Mark Murphy. Wonder Bread Factory, San Diego, CA
2010 SWAB, International Contemporary Art Fair. Barcelona, Spain
2010 Five Year Anniversary Show. Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
2010 New Realisms. MITO Contemporary Art Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2010 London Art Fair. Mauger Modern Art, London, UK
2009 Wunderkammer. Curated by Valdemar Gerdin, Gallery Jonas Kleerup. Stockholm, Sweden
2009 SCOPE Miami. Mauger Modern Art Booth, Miami
2009 Illustrative Art Fair. Berlin Germany
2009 100 Euro Show. Hotel de Vil Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
2009 Post-It 4. GR2, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Beach Blanket Bingo, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
2009 RESISTING TIME EXHIBITION - präsentiert von VICE - FRANKFURT
2009 AAF London. Mauger Modern Art, London, UK
2009 Superhero. curated by Mark Murphy, Wonderhaus, San Diego, CA
2009 AAF Bristol. Mauger Modern Art, London, UK
2008 SCOPE Miami. Mauger Modern Art Booth, Miami
2008 Know at Vanguard Art Fair, Miami Basel
2008 Helsinki Biennale World Fair. Helsinki, Finland
2008 AAF Amsterdam. Mauger Modern Art, Klonne Plein, Amsterdam
2008 “NowBrow”. Brad Benidict’s Sideshow, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Illustrative. 08, Zurich, Switzerland
2008 Flaunt. Junc Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2008 Everything But The Kitchen Sync. La Luz De Jesus Gallery, Culver City, CA
2008 SILA Show. Junc Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2008 50th Annual. Museum of Illustration. New York, NY
2007 Known at Art Now Fair, Claremont Hotel. Miami, FL
2007 Wild Things. 45 Spaces Gallery. Melbourne, Australia
2007 The Shatner Project. Uppercase Gallery. Calgary, AB, Canada
2007 SILA 45 Show. Billy Shire Fine Arts. Culver City. CA
2007 SINY 49 Sequential Show. Museum of American Illustration. New York, NY
2007 Art LA. Bamboo Lane Gallery. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Santa Monica, CA
2006 Said and Done. Antisocial Gallery. Vancouver, BC, Canada
2006 In the Eyes of the Beholders. Bamboo Lane Gallery. Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
2006 New Expressions in Fine Art Printmaking. Renowned Gallery. Portland, OR
2006 Compound Concoction. Guestroom Gallery. Portland, OR
2006 Drawn to Expression. Williamson Gallery. Pasadena, CA
2006 Romance Between 0 & 1. Compound Gallery. Portland, OR
2005 State of Emergence: Unsuspected Cracks in the Art World Infrastructure and Weekly
Contributors. Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station. Santa Monica, CA
2005 Soon and Very Soon. Renowned Gallery. Portland, OR
2005 Narration and Markmaking. Bradley University. Peoria, IL
2005 Group Show. Mendenhall Sobieski Gallery. Pasadena, CA
2005 47th Annual Show. Society of Illustrators. New York, NY
2004 Artistic Utopia. La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Hollywood, CA
2004 Tall Stories. Wignall Museum/Gallery. Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2004 REM. Compound Gallery. Portland, OR
2004 Spots. Society of Publication Designers. New York, NY
2004 Big Men in Little Cars. Tin Man Alley Gallery. Philadelphia, PA
2004 What’s Your 20. Impero Media Gallery. San Diego, CA
2004 Everything But the Kitschen Sync. La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Hollywood, CA
Selected Professional Activities
2011 Artist In Residency / Artist Lecture, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
2010 Visiting Artist Lecture / Studio Critiques, University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
2010 Visiting Artist Lecture, Harford University Graduate Illustration Program, Harford, CT
2006 Visiting Artist Lecture, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA
- Apple River - 2011 -Oil, ink, acrylic, and airbrush on canvas
- Hannah Black in March - 2011 - Acrylic, oil, airbrush, and urethane clear on panel - 61 x 48 cm
- Hannah Black in June - 2011 - Acrylic, oil, airbrush, and urethane clear on panel - 61 x 48 cm
- Hannah Black in August - 2011 - Acrylic, oil, airbrush, and urethane clear on panel - 61 x 48 cm
- Girl with Summer Fever - 2011 - Urethane Plastic, airbrush, and automotive clear coat - 47 x 35.5 x 23.5 cm - 11 kg
- Boy with green plaid shirt - 2011 - Acrylic, oil, airbrush, resin, and silk screen on panel - 61 x 48 cm
- Girl with sunset - 2011 - Acrylic, oil, airbrush, resin, and silk screen on panel - 61 x 48 cm
- Girl with striped swimsuit A / 2011 / Urethane Plastic, airbrush, and automotive clear coat / 50 x 37.5 x 25.5 cm / 12 kg
- Girl with striped swimsuit B
- Youth with friends 2011 - Acrylic, oil, glitter , and airbrush on canvas - 127.5 x 238 cm
- South Coast PLaza A3 - 2011 - silk screen and glitter on paper - 152.4 x 251.46 cm
- Girl with Magenta Sweater - 2009 - Oil, Resin, Glitter and Silk-screen on Panel - 40,5 x 50 cm
- Girl with Wonder Woman Tee - 2009 - Oil, Resin, Glitter and Silk-screen on Panel - 40,5 x 50 cm
- Man with Camp Funtime Tee - 2009 - Photographic Salt Print, Oil, Airbrush and Silk-screen on Panel – 100 x 70 cm
- You with staring problem - 2009 - Etching on Arches Cover Artist Proof - 40 x 33 cm
- Bouquet with Magical Beef and Freinds - 2009 - Mixed Media on Panel - 183 x 122 cm
- Bouquet with Fish - 2009 - Mixed Media on Panel - 183 x 122 cm
- Girl with I Love Hannah Shirt - 2009 - 3 Plate Photoengraving with Xerox Transfer and Chin Colle Artist Proof - 40 x 30 cm
- Girl with Floral Collared Sweater - 2009 - Oil, Glitter, Resin, and Silk-screen on Panel - 50,8 x 40,64 cm
- Girl with Floral Frame - 2009 - Oil, Glitter, Resin, and Silk-screen on Panel - 50,8 x 40,64 cm
- Quantitative Inheritance - Plate 1 - 2009 - Salt Print with 3 Color Silk-screen - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Quantitative Inheritance - Plate 2 - 2009 - 4 Color Silk-screen on Panel, Edition of 1 - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Quantitative Inheritance - Plate 3 - 2009 - 4 Color Silk-screen on Panel - Edition of 1 - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Quantitative Inheritance - Plate 4 - 2009 - Etching, Salt Print and 5 Color Screen Print, Edition of 1 - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Quantitative Inheritance - Plate 5 - 2009 - Etching, Salt Print and 5 Color Screen Print, Edition of 1 - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Heirloom - 2009 - Soft Ground Etching Artist Proof - 30 x 22,5 cm
- Bouquet with casserole – 2008 - Mixed Media on Panel - 38.1 x 59.1
Please contact gallery for availability.
