Chicago: Elephant Room Gallery is excited to present “Synthesis”, an exhibition of collaborative works between Chicago-Based artists Dredske and Cujo Dah. The exhibition opens on Friday, April 28th with a reception from 6 to 9pm and will be on view through June 3rd. The gallery is located at 704 S Wabash Ave. in the South Loop Neighborhood of Chicago. Additional information can be found on the gallery’s website: www.elephantroomgallery.com.

“Synthesis” is a result of artists Dredske and Cujo Dah combining their respective aesthetics. The pair have often collaborated on various public art murals but this is the first time they have worked together on fine art in the studio. During this improvised collaborative practice, each artist worked on images and then exchanged the works between one another with little to no stated or mapped out direction. The goal was to create a call and response between the imagery, allowing for spontaneity and interesting juxtapositions.

This particular body of work contains a common thread of nostalgia for the artists as they explore the visuals and memories of their youth intertwined with the current growing aesthetics of their own studio practices. Each piece is a unique conversation between the emerging artists. This rare process of 2 artists collaborating on each and every piece for an exhibition is an exciting exploration in art and what can be achieved in both the process and resulting work. Abstraction, pop culture representation, characters, color, texture and text mash together, resulting in “Synthesis”.

Terence Lashawn Byas, also known as “Dredske,” was born in Chicago in 1982 and currently lives and works in the city as a painter, muralist, and illustrator. His work is a playful commentary on issues regarding society, technology and culture. He’s inspired by the middle ground where fantasy meets reality, western and eastern pop cultures and his own cultural background and experiences. Dredske uses acrylic paint, collage, aerosol paint, and inject transfers as his medium.

Joe “Cujo Dah” Nelson is a designer, muralist and fine artist based in Chicago’s Southside. With a multi-disciplinary approach and unique vision, his works are of various mediums and surfaces. From large outdoor murals, to small figurines — anything’s game. Joe believes art should not be confined or restricted, as long as it is executed with integrity and skill. The content of his pieces vary, but more often than not, they intersect humor, human behavior, and city life.

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Tags: Chicago, Cujo Dah, Dredske, Elephant Room Gallery, Loop, Synthesis