LUCIDEZ VIVA

Reception: December 12th 5–10pm

The Underground
248 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915

Gallery Hours
M–F, 10am–5pm

In Lucidez Viva (portuguese for Living Lucidity) four fine artists working with blacklight enhanced painting, prints, and sculpture enhance the senses and electrify the way the audience experiences a traditional white wall gallery space. The four artists work with themes of identity, the body, memory, and history of trauma. Lonergan curates a bold hypnotic neon experience and encourages viewers to let go in this alternate urban club scene/gallery space. The preferred show date is Thursday, December 12th, 2019 and the installation time frame could begin after 6pm on Wednesday, December 11th, 2019. With the end of the semester happening the same week, this show will only be up for the opening on the 12th and Friday, December 13th with de-installation beginning on Saturday, December 14th.

Aaron Lonergan is a printmaker with a background in sculpture, mixed media, and digital media. His current thesis work looks into his own understanding of himself. Lonergan hones in on his personal connections with his ancestry and draws inspiration from the new found outlook on these cultures. One of these connections is to a chain of islands called “The Azores” off the coast of Portugal that inspired the show’s title. Lonergan’s work addresses parts of himself that he never faced head on: his attempt at suicide, his PTSD from abuse, his trauma as a young child, and his experiences with ADHD. With a focus on composition, visual language, bold color choices and optical imagery, Lonergan attempts to explain visually what for years he could not explain in words. As part of his thesis work, Lonergan effortlessly translates his prints into creative graphic tees and plans to unveil a full line of neon-based shirts in a fashion show on the night of the event.

Phoebe “Crazypants” Warner is an interdisciplinary artist based in Boston, MA. Her work spans a wide range of styles and media. For her contribution to “Lucidez Viva” she uses neon puff paint and fluorescent spray paint to create eye-popping intricate designs on CDs.

Warner has always used puff paint. At only $1 a bottle, Warner has found it to be an accessible and versatile media. In her teens, she could create anything she wanted on AOL free trial CDs that came in the mail every few weeks. She would decorate them with all kinds of different designs and nail them to her wall. It was a meditative and methodical process she used as a coping mechanism through all the trauma and depression she faced on a regular basis. This theme carried through to her senior exhibition at Montserrat College of Art in December 2015. Instead of a two-dimensional plane, Warner found comfort in giving life to thrift items that nobody wanted anymore.

With such an extensive knowledge of puff paint, Warner is now focusing on the format of the compact disc itself. CDs have become almost entirely obsolete except as an accoutrement for collectors. Warner is using this opportunity to repurpose the CDs to refract light and speak new memories in her intuitive puff paint language.

Ashley Huard’s work is a mixed-media exploration of the five senses: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. She has challenged herself to illustrate compositions demonstrating action or motion. This concept has led to psychedelic, repeating patterns that pair harmoniously with the use of UV reactive materials and light.

“Lucidez Viva” will feature a collection of 7 circular pieces, from Huard, ranging in different diameters. These works are to be installed horizontally on the gallery walls, with the largest piece central. Working from the center out, the diameter of each piece slightly decreases. The end result of installation will create an eye catching flow of work in an arrow formation.

Huard realizes the image of the body has a powerful role in our society. This is why she shows interest in celebrating the human body. In the past, she primarily worked in full body portrait. Now, she chooses to zone in and shine a spotlight on the specific experiences of the body. Huard aims to remind her viewers of the miraculous capabilities of their bodies.

Mayonashia “May” Jones is a printmaker with backgrounds in painting and collage. She creates works that specifically hit on identity and culture. Her experiences as a mother, a daughter, a sister, a woman, and a friend influence her work and elevated her self-understanding. Throughout her style of work, she has expressed losing identity and gaining identity all in one piece. Using nothing but lines and color too portray these feelings.

For Jones’ contribution to the Lucidez Viva, she will be creating neon enhanced acrylic paintings using mirrors as the applying foundation. Just about 15+ different shaped and sized mirrors will be shown installed in different directions and locations of the exhibit to correspond with one another. With the disbursement of these mirrors it is hoped to push the audience to really look pass their own identity while looking into pieces of hers. Jones will also be selling prints of her work for $20 each.