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Walking Through the Trees I, 2007 acrylic-pigment dispersions over 7x8 foot diptych panels by Paul Benavidez PAUL BENAVIDEZ NEW PAINTINGS OPENING: Saturday, August 18, 2007 during the Ventura Summer ArtWalk RECEPTION: Saturday August 25th 6:00 - 9:00pm 643 Project Space 643 N. Ventura Av. Ventura, CA www.643projectspace.com 643 Project Space is pleased to exhibit new paintings by Paul Benavidez. The new paintings are diptychs of impressive size as well as drawings of studies for the paintings. With simplicity and economy Benavidez created an enveloping space with intersecting planes and little objects Benavidez calls "pour paintings." From a purely theoretical perspective, pun intended, the diptych playfully and visually dislodges or dissolves at the picture plane, which literally is the surface of the painting's pictorial. The color elements or pour paintings hover just in and out of the picture's environment causing the serene dissolution. Benavidez writes, "At some point, I began to envision Piero Della Francesca's studies in perspective and how one-point perspective could be integral in establishing algebraic trees in a three-dimensional form, similar to the studies of the Platonic Solids." But, Benavidez stops short of describing any solid object or other information; at least that is what it seems. If one looks at Piero Della Francesca's Platonic Solids in perspective, (the first person in history to draw the polyhedral forms in space) the viewer would expect to see something tightly sitting within the co-ordinances of the painting's structure, but instead one is caught-up in a visually transcending and gravity free space. It should be noted also, that the new work is influenced by an ongoing project with mathematician and computer scientist J.J. LeTourneau whose visual counting system uses node labeled trees. Paul Benavidez is an active multi-disciplinary artist working in several genres. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Studio from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is the recipient of fellowships/grants, and awards. He lives and works in his studio in Ventura and is co-director with Carolyn Friend, of the Upfront Gallery - www.upfrontgallery.org, a contemporary art venue located in Ventura. A reception will be held on Saturday, August 25th 2007 from 6:00 - 9:00pm. The show is free and open to the public. 643 Project Space is an alternative contemporary art gallery exhibiting emerging and established national and international artists. The gallery is located near downtown Ventura on the west end at 643 N. Ventura Av, Ventura. For more information, call 310.592.9127 or visit www.643projectspace.com Gallery hours are by appointment.

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