Get Your Time Machine on! Jason Brammer at Jackson Junge, Friday May 6, 6-9PM

FUTURA OBSCURA

The Timeless Art of Jason Brammer

Special Exhibit Jackson Junge Gallery Friday, May 6 – Sunday, July 3, 2011

Opening Reception Friday, May 6, 6pm – 9pm

“Futura Obscura,” a collection Jason Brammer’s most recent mixed media paintings and signature Time Machines, will be on exhibit at the Jackson Junge Gallery, 1389 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago, from Friday, May 6, through Sunday, July 3. Brammer’s new series features the timeless imagery of the seascape. His work imparts a sense of nostalgia while suggesting an enduring quality that transcends past, present and future.

An opening reception, where Brammer will demonstrate his unique painting techniques, will be held on Friday, May 6th, 6pm- 9pm. The exhibit and reception are free of charge. In the days leading up to the opening, the artist will create a special wall installation at the gallery. Passerby will be able to observe the artist in action through the venue’s large showcase windows.

The artist infuses a feel for antiquity into his paintings by incorporating gauges, recycled wood, vintage handles, and other items he finds in the alleys by his studio and salvage yards. Many of his pieces merge painting with the art of assemblage. In his latest series Brammer obscures the line between two-and three-dimensional perception further by painting flat cutout surfaces that appear to be folding like a traditional Japanese screen.

Brammer applies acrylics, colored plasters and transparent glazes to various surfaces using a combination of airbrush and paintbrush techniques. He often scrapes the paint to reveal portions of the surface below and sands the edges of his work for an antiquated appearance. He creates the effect of rusting, weathered metal with layers of paint and plaster.

“My seascape paintings and Time Machines evoke a sense of mystery,” says Brammer. “Upon closer inspection, people are surprised to discover that my pieces are not what they appear to be at first. One assumption is that I incorporate photography. In actuality, everything is hand painted.”

While Brammer’s work does not include photography he is inspired by the unique metallic coloring of early photographic images from the 1830’s call daguerreotypes. In addition, he employs the airbrush, a technique more commonly associated with photography.

“The airbrush helps me achieve a soft, luminous effect that creates depth and photographic realism in my painting,” says Brammer. “I’ve been fascinated with the airbrush ever since a high-school art teacher introduced me to it years ago.”

‘My Time Machines evolved out of my love for turn-of-the century aesthetics as well as the mechanical, modern environment that surrounds me in Chicago,” says the artist. “I create artifacts reminiscent of Art Nouveau while incorporating gadgets of urban futurism. Ultimately, I want these pieces to provide a glimpse into another era, dimension or lifetime.”

Jason Brammer resides in Chicago’s Logan Square community and has a studio in Ukrainian Village. His work has been featured in numerous local and national art exhibitions. The artist has created site-specific installations and murals for a variety of venues.

In addition to the art installation at the Jackson Junge Gallery the week of May 2nd and the painting demonstration at the exhibit’s Opening Reception on May 6th, Jason Brammer will be at the gallery on Saturday, June 4th, 2pm, to chat about his art and creative process.

The Jackson Junge Gallery features the work of Laura Lee Junge and other contemporary artists. The Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 8pm and Sunday, 12 Noon to 5pm. Closed on Monday.