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New exhibit at Courtenay art gallery

Artful : The Gallery is showing art by Mark Henderson until Saturday, June 12.
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Mark Henderson’s exhibit, “Bikes and Barbies,” is now showing at Artful : The Gallery on Cumberland Road in Courtenay. Photo supplied.

Artful : The Gallery is showing art by Mark Henderson until Saturday, June 12.

The show includes a variety of pieces, ranging from screen prints and acrylic paintings to custom-painted bicycle frames.

Henderson recently moved to Vancouver Island from Vancouver. His work as a professional software developer surfaces in his art, with his attention to digital media, electronics and the manipulation and obfuscation of information. Henderson’s graphic works are inspired by the formatting, display, and packaging of information that pervades modern culture and showcase his fascination with information and how it is manipulated conveyed and interpreted.

Henderson leverages a graphic style once used in much mid-20th century American advertising and manipulates and juxtaposes those images with other imagery that aims to shock and entertain his viewers. Images of consumerist happiness and prosperity are set against violent and unsettling images of modern society.

“I love the way Henderson’s pieces have transformed the space. His work is really exceptional, with this combination of conceptual grandeur and precision of representation,” explains gallery owner and operator, Kristina Campbell.

Henderson’s bike frames are a new type of canvas for him, and incorporate many of the skills he has developed as a visual artist, like blending colours and masking images.

Artful : The Gallery opened in May of 2020 and this show, Bikes and Barbies, is its seventh. The gallery has sold works by artists from across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and offers pieces ranging from reproduction prints to large original works.

“I’m so delighted to get to showcase such outstanding art. Sure, it’s been a tricky year to open an art gallery, but the response from the community has so incredibly positive,” said Campbell. “It truly makes me feel excited for the many shows to come. And I encourage anyone with a love for art to come by and enjoy Mark’s pieces. They’re incredible.”

Follow Artful : The Gallery on Instagram at @kristinacampbellart or visit www.artfulthegallery.com.

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