New Exhibition Opening

May 23-November 20, 2010

Show Opening: June 26th, 8pm

Talk/Demonstration by Bill Concannon: July 16th, 7:30pm

“Recycled, Reclaimed, Reinvented: The Art of Bill Concannon”  a solo retrospective on longtime MONA member and neon artist will run from May to November. Th e opening reception will be held at the museum on June 26 from 8-10:30pm.  Concannon is an excellent speaker on neon art, and will give a special talk and demonstration at MONA on Saturday July 16th from 7:30-9:30pm. (Image to the right: “Bill’s Bottle Shop,” neon art installation by Bill Concannon)

About the Artist – Bill has been involved with the neon medium since the 1970s.  His 30-year experience in neon has included owning and running his neon shop, Aargon-Neon, for commercial sign production, for the movie industry, teaching the craft of neon-bending in an art context and creating his own neon art sculpture.  For his artwork, Concannon de-emphasizes his skill as a bender, using as he describes “that anonymous tradition” of commercial signage and roadside art to create a format for his ideas about history, politics, and sustainability.

“F.O.B. (Friends of Bill),” a group exhibit curated by Concannon will features artists whose works in neon have been inspirational to him including artists: Larry Albright, Bill Alsup, Arlo Fishman, David O. Johnson, Shawna Peterson, Bruce Suba, Ed Tannenbaum, Stuart Ziff and Elyse Weidner.

(Image below: Black Light Installation by Jerico Woggon)

“California Surf, ” a site-specific art installation by black light artist Jerico Woggon will also be on display in our vestibule space. Born and raised at the beach in Summerland, California, surfing was a childhood activity that became Jerico’s passion into adulthood.  Currently living in Downtown LA, Jerico still derives inspiration from images related to nature, the beach, and surfing which is a major influence in his black light art.  The surfing theme will continue inside in the lobby gallery with neon works by Larry Manson, Richard Ankrom and Randy Noborikawa.

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