Press Release | Duality by Lio Projects
April 1 – April 29, 2023
1444 Dupont St., #10, Toronto, ON
Lio Projects is pleased to present the group show: DUALITY. This inaugural exhibition will include new paintings by Ash Holmes, Naomi Clark and Saxon Quinn as well as new sculptural works by Dan Covert and Solem Ceramics (Tamara Al-Issa). For a majority of these artists, this is both their first time exhibiting together and doing so in Canada.
After conversations with each artist about what unrealized projects they’d like to see come to fruition the theme of Duality slowly came into play. Duality, as the name suggests, is the idea of two concepts that are often in opposition to each other. In this case, Duality serves as a jumping-off point for each artist as they explore new ideas in their work while presenting their most authentic selves (and perceived signature style) to a new audience.
Duality is present in terms of materiality and concept. For example, sculpture can be made with a lighter material, like Gypsum, but visually presents itself as heavy and cumbersome. Rich saturated palettes can give us a sense of floating or movement. The process of creating new work can involve looking to the past, failure, then progression, creating an archetype only to diverge from it. In most cases, one idea cannot exist without the other.
Ash Holmes is a fourth-generation artist based in Sydney, Australia. Drawing on colour psychology and her environment, her practice on Guringai Land is an ever-evolving source of inspiration in her abstract paintings. She is the co-founder of Hake House of Art and has collectors worldwide.
Naomi Clark is a painter and textile artist splitting her time between Connecticut and Brooklyn. The multidisciplinary creative is the co-founder of the artist collective, Fort Makers, and holds an MFA from Pratt Institute. Clark’s luminous works combine formal processes alongside a more experimental approach. Her practice values movement, landscape and its relationship to abstraction.
Saxon Quinn is a mixed media artist currently based in Northern Rivers, New South Wales. After living in Melbourne and New York City, the artist made roots back home in Australia. His works take on a tactile and symbolic process with the use of raw pigments, oil paints, and graphite on unprimed heavy canvases. He shows work internationally and has upcoming shows in Los Angeles and New York.
Dan Covert is an artist and director living and working in Brooklyn, New York. With a background in graphic design, Covert launched himself into the world of symbols and shapes from oil painting to mounted reliefs and presently sculpture. He received his BFA from California College of the Arts and is represented by Uprise Art. Dan is the co-founder of the production company, Dress Code.
Solem Ceramics (Tamara Al-Issa) is a Syrian-Filipina sculptor and ceramicist living and working in Toronto, Ontario. Highly influenced by her roots, her pottery practice pays homage to traditional architectural elements and nostalgic imagery. Working under a ceramicist in the city she was able to hone her craft and begin creating independently. She has shown internationally and most recently had shows in Mexico City and Toronto.
Throughout this exhibition you will see how Duality influences each artist’s work whether it is in regards to the materials they use, reflecting on their own perceived style or both.
