Until my darkness goes away…. Is a group exhibit featuring the works of Jowan van Barneveld, Tom Bogaert, Johan De Wilde, Katie Holten, Russell Nachman, and Carlos Rigau. This exhibit takes a look at the varied use of the color black; besides being a striking monochromatic pigment it weighs heavy in metaphors and meaning. Its interpretations are endless and varied as for some it stands for mourning and death by others it is used to express knowledge and intellectual achievement.

LMAKprojects is pleased to present Until My Darkness Goes… a group show of six international artists; Jowan van Barneveld, Tom Bogaert, Johan De Wilde, Katie Holten, Russell Nachman, and Carlos Rigau. This exhibit takes a look at the varied use of the color black; besides being a striking monochromatic pigment it weighs heavy in metaphors and meaning. Its interpretations are endless and varied as for some it stands for mourning and death by others it is used to express knowledge and intellectual achievement.
Jowan van Barneveld (Dutch) appropriates images related to his personal experiences and fascinations, often touching on the world of music, into haunting black on black paintings. Both his renouncement of color and his use of paint result in his work having an impersonal quality. As he tries to 'erase' his mark through layers of glazed acrylic he is able to fully submerge into the work. His depictions vary from literal landscapes to depictions of the stage-set of his band Viberider, yet each relays a strong sensibility of light and composition.
Before dedicating his life to his art practice, Tom Bogaert (Belgian) documented genocide and human rights abuses in Africa and Asia for Amnesty International and the UN refugee agency. He will be showing a piece from his series Collines au Mille Souris (Hills of a Thousand Mice) which refers to the Malthusian theory that states that genocide is the preordained result of the impersonal forces of poverty and over-population. Bogaert’s work addresses the collision of human rights, entertainment and propaganda. The sculptures are composed of black mice-shaped licorice candy (Belgium’s national candy), representing the duality of overzealous creatures, and the bittersweet reality of humanity.
Johan De Wilde (Belgian) sees the world in tonalities, his imagery are scenes of stories that waver. The exploration of graphite offers an unending realm of possibilities, De Wilde feels that white is the exclusion of possibilities against which imagery is created. His work is an alias, an ensemble of history relayed in a moment. Exhibited is a selection of his prolifically rendered and crafted graphite drawings.
Katie Holten’s (Irish) work focuses on the ecological and relays to us the various scenarios of decay that we inflict on the earth. Uprooted is confrontational yet eerily beautiful as banal material like newspaper and wire are transformed into an elegant presence. Tackling subjects of death and decay Holten's work relays a beauty and offers glimpses of salvation.
Russell Nachman (American) use of allegory serves his critical, and sometimes harsh, look at his roots as well as our culture at large. Known for his watercolors of discarded Utopian dreams Russell's work now enters a new chapter in his expanding narrative, depicting figures that can be seen as one step farther down the road of disillusionment. Nachman uses the trappings of Black Metal culture to portray a harlequin for our time. The Black Metal tradition is one of contradictions, steeped in rebellion and hedonism, yet seeking absurdly antiquated notions of purity and truth. Nachman's modern day jesters, seen as buffoons of Black Metal, become unwitting relaters of an unspoken truth -- the folly behind all our masks.
Carlos Rigau (Cuban-American) recent work is an examination of guilt, retribution, and atonement through use of classic symbols of American history and stereotype. Throughout his various narratives Rigau repeatedly makes use of a clown to relay and uncover the least desirable and darker elements of human nature. In his two-channel video titled Secrets of the Unknown, we view a clown trying to go through the alphabet while below him two hands try to emanate and create the human form. The neon colors are set off against black backgrounds disorienting the viewer and emulating the disorientation of the clown, this experience is enhanced by the floor piece titled I Wish There Was, in which hazed letters spells the sentence “I Wish There Was Nothing” and becomes an unsettling ground.
Until My Darkness Goes…will be on view from Saturday June 27 until Sunday August 2nd 2009. Our gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11-6 and Sunday 12-6, if you need additional material or have questions please do not hesitate to contact us at info@lmakprojects.com or 212 255 9707.

Jowan van Barneveld
Born in 1978 in Veghel, the Netherlands he resides and works in Sittard. Van Barneveld's work has risen to a quite an acclaim as his work has been acquired by the Bonnefonte Museum, Het Domein and DSM Collection. This is his first time exhibiting in the US.


Tom Bogaert
Tom Bogaert documented genocide and human rights abuses in Africa and Asia for fourteen years for Amnesty International and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Five years ago, he resigned to become an artist. His work has been shown throughout the US and Europe from Kunstburo Berlin in 2009, to the Bronx river Arts Center in 2008, to the Dumbo Fine Arts Festival. In 2008 he had his first solo show with Jack the Pelican. His work has been reviewed by such publications as The Miami Herald, NY Arts Magazine, De Morgen, Queens Tribute, De Standaard, Het Belang, and The New York TImes. Bogaert currently is an artist in residence at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts.


Johan De Wilde
Is a Belgian artist from Gent. His work has been exhibited throughout Europe and was recently featured in Venice, 2009. In 2008 De Wilde's work was acquired by SMAK in Gent, Belgium. This is the first time his work has been featured in a New York gallery.

Katie Holten
Katie Holten (b. 1975, Dublin, Ireland) lives in New York City and elsewhere. In
2003 she represented Ireland at the 50th Venice Biennale. Other recent exhibitions include Tree Museum a public project at the Grand Concourse, Bronx commissioned by Bronx Museum, Wave Hill and NYC Parks Dept. (2009); Atlas of Memory Nevada Museum of Art, Reno (2008); Katie Holten, Villa Merkel, Esslingen, Germany (2008); The Best’s To Come, VAN HORN, Düsseldorf (2007); Katie Holten, Schürmann Berlin, Berlin (2007); GRAN BAZAAR, Centro Historico, Mexico City (2006); Pause, 65 rue Rébeval, Paris 92006); Group exhibitions include Retrait, Fondation d’entreprise Ricard, Paris (2007); Art is Flowering, Schmuck Museum, Pforzheim, Germany (2007); Soft Sites, Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia (2006); 700% PLUS, KBH Kunsthal, Copenhagen, Denmark (2006); Eigenheim, Kunstverein Göttingen, Germany(2006); I.D.E.A. London, Institute of Contemporary Art, London (2005); Editionen,Weiner Secession, Vienna (2005); Dreamland Artist Club, a Creative Time project, New York (2005); Bucolica, Wallspace Gallery, New York (2005); Junge Akademie, Akademie der Künst, Berlin (2004); 1st Prague Biennale, Prague, (2003); Drawing Show, Galerie Paul Andriesse, Amsterdam (2000); and Utpoias, Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin (1999).

Russell Nachman
Born in 1968, lives and works in Brooklyn NY. Nachman holds an MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and his work has been exhibited throughout the US and Europe since. His first major review was in 1998 in Art Issues for his exhibit at Patricia Sweetow Gallery, and a year later in Art in America with his exhibit at gallery 16. In 2003 Nachman had his first solo show in NYC at White Columns and in January 2005, he had a solo at Mixed Greens. In 2006 he had a solo exhibit at Jack the Pelican followed by a solo exhibit at Freight and Volume. His work was recently featured in the Museum show 'Painting the Glass House, curated by J Hough and Mr Ramirez-Montagut which was exhibited at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield CTand Mills College Art Museum, Oakland CA.

Carlos Rigau
Carlos Rigau is a Cuban-American born in Miami Florida, 1978. He holds an MFA from Hunter College NY, 2009. His work has been shown throughout the US and Europe. In 2009 his work was shown at Nice and Fit Gallery in Berlin, 2008 Shane Campbell Gallery Chicago and Alagon Gallery Chicago and 2007 LTG gallery in Miami. Rigau's work was also featured in the following public venues; MOCA North Miami in 2004 and 2008 and 2003 at Hollywood arts and Culture Center. His work can be found in the collection of Joseph S. Berg and Jefferson Godard.