Aurora Public Arts to open '(Re)volution' exhibit April 1
The Aurora Public Art Commission is hosting "(Re)volution," a painting retrospective of Kyle Reeves' work from 1999-2021.
An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 1, in the third-floor gallery at the David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. The exhibit will continue to May 21 when there will be a closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m.
The exhibition and receptions are free and open to the public.
Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
"(Re)volution" is a retrospective that highlights the last 23 years of Aurora resident Kyle Reeves' paintings.
The content of his artwork spans concerns regarding social problems (such as veteran neglect, substance abuse, and violent behavior) to the healing power of meditation and gardening.
The artist's perspective is influenced by his experiences from his hometown of Enid, Oklahoma, years in New York City, and years in Aurora. His work reflects on America in general, and encourages the viewer to observe, think critically, and move forward with solutions to heal our society.
"Reeves' paintings are as straight forward and honest as he is. He observes more than he speaks, and he expresses those observations through paint," stated Jenn Byrne Evans, director of Aurora Public Art. "Every painting is connected to an anecdote that unlocks further layers of meaning, intention, and dry humor. While the paintings' speak for themselves, we'll being sharing some of the back stories in an exhibition catalog, to be released at the closing reception on May 21."
"The living world and its history is an ever-changing mud of facts, assumptions, falsehoods, diversions, and mythologies," Evans said. "Each remarkable experience, confusing news article, recounting of a historical episode, or debate regarding myth is an opportunity for each of us to examine and recalibrate our structure of beliefs. These paintings are a reflection of our world and a record of the artist's pursuit of reconciliation."
Reeves, a native of rural Oklahoma, received his BFA in painting and BA in comparative religion from the Kansas City Art Institute and his MFA in painting from the School of Visual Arts (NYC). The artist lives and works in Aurora, Illinois.
To learn more, visit www.aurora-il.org/329/Public-Art-Commission.
To view the portfolios of other Aurora area artists, go to bit.ly/aurora_artists.
Donations are always appreciated and are used to pay fair wages to artists for their services at www.communityfoundationfrv.org/profile/aurora-art-fund
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