One of the broadest terms in the English language is the word “Art”. Art can mean anything from carefully placed paint spatters on a canvas to a beautiful portrayal of a cabin in the woods. It can be abstract or concrete as long as someone can relate to the image. But some feel “art” should have more carefully placed guidelines on what makes it a piece to be remembered. Revolutionary artwork should always fit three criteria: aesthetics, raw emotion and tact/precision. One of the best recent examples of this sort of craftsmanship comes from someone that might surprise the most devout art enthusiasts.
Richard Grieco, who many know as the iconic Dennis Booker in the hit 90’s television series “21 Jump Street”, has been out of the spotlight for some time now. But what most people don’t know is his passion for artwork held the reigns for the sudden shift in priorities. Grieco commented on this extreme decision explaining, “You have to be totally committed to it, which means letting all emotion and every ounce of energy you have to be focused on the canvas.”
After many years in solitude creating his pieces, Grieco is unveiling a new concept of art called abstract emotionalism at his exhibit “Sanctum of a Dreamer” on Thursday, August 15th at the Gallerie Sparta in West Hollywood. As a new genre of art, the pieces themselves are not only wildly captivating and descriptive, but have a topography that is unmatched by most work seen in the art of today’s world. Although opening night of this exhibit will be star-studded featuring many celebrities and famous artists, the gallery will continue to host the exhibit for two weeks after.
One of his most hyped paintings to date is one titled BLUE JEAN RED. The name is much less abstract then the piece itself because there are in fact blue jeans within the painting. The elevation and texture in the piece was created by using bits of the jeans he wore on the last show of “21 Jump Street” – even the zipper finds a place amidst the canvas. This one-of-a-kind work of both art and memorabilia will be auctioned off exclusively at the silent auction opening night of the exhibit. Grieco’s knack for placing pieces of his own personal life and experiences within his work creates a rare dynamic for both collectors of art and fans of his acting work. This is the first time a celebrity artist has come to terms with both sides of his world and brought it into one.
Stephan Sparta, owner of Gallerie Sparta, shares his excitement of providing the space for Grieco’s debut, “Richard’s passion for painting, focused over a twenty year period of personal exploration has developed into his own emotional visual language. We have been following his ascent and are excited to be the exclusive gallery to premier his explosive paintings in Los Angeles.”
To see a preview of what’s to come visit: http://www.griecoart.com/.
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