The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. present September’s First Friday opening. On Friday, September 4th, 2015 viewers can enjoy new works by Cole Bennett as well as “Awaken,” a new show by Clive Nyles. The shows will open from 5:30 until midnight on First Friday, and will remain up for viewing on subsequent Friday evenings through September, ending September 25th. The Modbo and SPQR are located at 17b and 17c East Bijou, 80903. More information at themodbo.com or by calling 633-4240 or emailing themodbo@gmail.com
Clive Nyles attended the Savannah College of Art and Design. Although originally from England, Nyles remained in Georgia after his time at S.C.A.D. This is Nyles’ third show at The Modbo. He draws inspiration from automatic surrealist painters like Gustave Moreau and Max Ernst. Nyles works in a way that tries to interface with and react to the subconscious, allowing it to come forward.
Cole is a graduate of Colorado College both as a Studio Art major and a MAT graduate. He is a Visual Arts Teacher at West Middle School and has been showing work at various venues, concerts, and galleries in the front range area for five years, after returning to his hometown of Colorado Springs. Cole’s main artistic interest is artwork that arises organically, out of conversation with a community of ideas. As a member of the Modbo Collective, Cole enjoys responding to other artist’s feedback, attempting to push himself into uncomfortable territory. Because critique is so central to his process, many of his ideas are generated by conversations with students as well.
Bennett’s new show is a collection of work inspired in part by the delicacy of Japanese woodcut prints, as well as the content of Buddhist mandalas. Mandalas did not always depict the Buddha or known practitioners, or even specific characters from Buddhist texts. Often there were depictions of enlightened beings from other universes, completely imagined by the artist. Here, Cole has similarly imagined what beings from other worlds may look like if depicted in otherworldly religious artwork.