New Image Art is pleased present a solo exhibition “Solidify The Gesture” with Oakland based painter Chazwick Bundick, aslo known as Chaz Bear, featuring a series of new abstract paintings and mixed media works. Chaz’s paintings carry many similarities to his musical explorations as Toro Y Moi exhibiting an imbued feeling of space, joy and a natural purposefulness within the work. Chaz's color sensibility depicts a limited pensiveness; nothing unneeded just well balanced shapes and linear expression. The work owes much to the transitional paintings of the 1950's Abstract Expressionism and early 1960's work during the birth of Pop Art.

Chaz’s new series of paintings for “Solidify The Gesture” feature amoebic and floral shapes sitting along side still-life inspired arrangements and architectural influences that appear in a number of room-like compositions. Some new mixed media works show the influence of Chaz’s graphic design school background through the use such as altered photography, printmaking and collage methods. Taken all together, Chaz’s new body of work embodies a playful, fun, and eclectic approach to art making.

Chaz was born in Columbia, South Carolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Known professionally as Toro y Moi a singer, songwriter, and record producer identified with the rise of the Chillwave movement in 2010 and 2011. Though he has an active music career, Chaz has always maintained a consistent studio practice of painting and design. This will be Chaz’s second solo exhibition with New Image Art.

The exhibition runs in our main gallery from January 13th to February 10th with normal gallery hours or by appointment. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Sat, January 13th, from 7 to 10 pm in the main gallery at New Image Art.