CONGO, A Solo Show by Jonathan Darby

Description

White Walls is pleased to present “CONGO,” a solo exhibition featuring new works from British artist Jonathan Darby. “CONGO” will feature a collection of mixed media paintings on wood as part of a gallery-transforming installation. The opening reception will be Saturday, November 10th from 7-11 PM, and is free and open to the public for viewing through December 8th, 2012.

Darby’s intentions are for viewers to not recognize the gallery space and his installation will be an incredible culmination of painting, sound, photography and film. Each work of art within “CONGO” is a response to Darby’s recent work in the war torn eastern city of Goma where he directed painting projects along with children’s charity, AptART, of which he is the co-founder and Creative Director.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, formally Zaire, has immense economic resources but has been crippled by one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the modern era. The conflict has been termed “Africa’s World War” involving seven neighboring nations and claiming more than five million lives, the highest number in any conflict since World War II.

Eastern Congo currently hosts the world’s largest United Nations Peace keeping mission. However, the violence is so endemic that not a single generation alive today has ever known peace. Despite the severity of the situation, DR Congo is rarely featured in headline news. Rapes and killings have continued for so long that they’ve become commonplace. The scale of the problem makes it appear hopeless and the world has stopped paying attention.

The future of this apparently hopeless situation is the children. To revive exposure for this tragedy and perhaps provide some hope for its future, Darby literally plunged himself into the humanitarian trauma working directing with street kids. He continues to take on the decidedly difficult task of combining socio-political subject matter with a genuine sense of beauty and honesty. The pieces depict bright-eyed children engulfed by the entropy of their environments while harsh texts and graphics tell a narrative of life in conflict.

From the Artist:
"I will continue to work with distressed materials, reworking and reworking the mediums to achieve the desired textures and effects. Symbolism and relevant imagery will be incorporated into the paintings and will set the back drop for the portraits of these children. Expect to see a progression from the Favela installations that took place in London and in San Francisco, but this time a representation of the DR Congo."



White Walls Gallery has worked for nearly a decade to exist as the premiere destination for urban art in the Bay Area. Combined with the Shooting Gallery just next door, this 4,000 sq. ft. space is one of the largest galleries on the west coast. Justin Giarla founded the gallery in 2005 with a commitment to furthering the urban art movement, drawing directly from street art and graffiti culture. Named for its plain white walls, the gallery takes a backseat to the real focus: the work of our artists.



Media Opportunities:
Interview with Jonathan Darby
Interview with owner/founder/curator Justin Giarla
High-resolution images available upon request

Event Information:
“CONGO” by Jonathan Darby
Opening Reception – Saturday, November 10th, 7-11 pm
On View Through December 8th, 2012
@ White Walls (www.whitewallssf.com)
835 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA