Uphill Both Ways, curated by Roger Gastman, opened on June 29th and exhibits the works of revered street-influenced artists Revok and Pose within the walls of Chelsea space, Jonathan Levine Gallery. Both artists visualised their life experiences in Uphill Both Ways, which also references the late graffiti artist NEKST, who died late last year, in its name. Though processes differ, they are inspired by their landscapes, resulting in pieces assembled from fragmented layers that reverberate past and present.
West coast native Revok has a monologue with Detroit, his current locale. It is here he founded the Beautification project. A scavenger of elements found in the wild, he repurposes his salvages from excursions within Motor City’s wasteland. Pose’s palette is an immediate conversationalist, adding intentional motion to his static content. Cross referencing his influences within pop and sub cultures, he creates graphic works that explore the intensity of emotions set forth by the human disposition. From abstract sculptural work to hyperactive pop art, these are two very different artists with a shared intensity and, side by side, they look better than ever.
Uphill Both Ways runs through 27th July.
Photography © Kelly Salih
