“Reverberations” is an exhibition featuring new works by Che Jen and Kenji Hirata, both members of the infamous “Barnstormers.”
Che Jen is a Brooklyn-based painter from South Korea, who was raised in Brooklyn. Growing up in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side in the 1970s “defined the visual abstractions that are incorporated into my being and permeates my personality and my work.” Her newest works are a reflection of her subconsciousness, a manifestation of the process in which ideas are born. Che Jen has shown around the world in Milan, London, Tokyo and all over the United States, and has been featured in many publications.
Kenji Hirata is a New York-based painter from Nagasaki, Japan. His works are influenced by the Buddhist idea that “emptiness is everything eternal.” In his paintings, he fuses together the five natural elements of water, fire, metal, wood and soil, creating compositions that are dense, yet have open space. Hirata is inspired by nature, and his vibrant pieces reference Jamaican dance hall sound systems, sci-fi futurism, billboards and hand painted signage of South East Asia. From public murals, small canvases and animated works for film, Kenji Hirata is an innovative member of the contemporary art and film community.
