I am delighted to have you join me at Jackson Junge Gallery for a group exhibition by local and national artists that opens January 23, 2015.  The exhibition opens to the public with an artists’ reception on Friday, January 23, 2015 from 6-9PM. 

I have three images hanging in this!! SUPER excited. Won't you come see me and join in on the conversation??

The nude figure has been a traditional genre in Western Art dating back to Ancient Greece.  Its use has varied overtime from expressing ideals of beauty, to more religious, erotic, or social connotations.  But what does it mean to be naked? Lord Kenneth Clark states in “The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form” that to be naked is to be deprived of clothes, implying embarrassment and shame. Why must nakedness be so shameful? This exhibition rebels against the societal constraints that make us conceal our true self.  Naked and Not Afraid reveals our vulnerabilities by courageously and proudly embracing that which makes each individual unique.

Naked and Not Afraid is not about nudity.  It’s about self discovery and expressing the soul. Through multiple mediums, these artists explore personal identity and societal constructs to find empowerment and liberation. Over the course of the exhibition, in-house artist Laura Lee Junge, who is celebrated for her intoxicating surrealism, will work on pieces in the gallery space while engaging collectors.  “I am pretty uncomfortable working in front of people and I’d like to overcome that fear. I plan to work on these pieces during the weekends, allowing people to watch my process and ask me questions.  I want to document the progress of work and incorporate it into a blog, sharing my thoughts and feelings.”  Junge remarks, “I can’t think of a way that I feel more naked than showing unfinished work.  I have never shown the progression of my work from rough sketch to final product.  This is the time to overcome that fear.”  Junge is not only embracing her fear but also revealing some of her greatest vulnerabilities in these new paintings. “The images deal with the painful struggle I went through last year. They tell the story of the dark places I went to and the healing and positive changes in my life that happened.”

Naked and Not Afraid is an empowering and honest exploration of how we define ourselves. From beautiful nudes to abstract examinations of the inner psyche, this exhibition bares it all.

“Naked and Not Afraid” is curated by Gallery Director Chris Jackson, Assistant Director Scott Renfro, and artist Laura Lee Junge.

Featured Artists:  L. Lee Junge, James Mesple, Audry Cramblit, Ruth Aizuss Migdal, Eric Bendickson, Colm McCarthy, Gerardo Villareal, Katie Hovencamp, Karen Hanrahan, Ken Beach, Rita Dianni-Kaleel, Tori Lane, Eric Baillies, Jan Wurm, Berthold Boone, Robert Tolchin, Judith Gries

"Happy Accident" 13 x 13 Matted and Framed

"Off The Shoulder" 16 1/2 by 18 1/2 Matted and Framed

"She" 30 x 44 Matted And Framed

© images by Karen Hanrahan