Hashimoto Contemporary is pleased to present Other Avatar, a solo exhibition by Colorado-based artist Ravi Zupa. Other Avatar will be Zupa’s third solo exhibition with the gallery, and his inaugural solo exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary’s New York City location. The exhibition features mixed media works on wood, sculpture and a large scale installation. Highlighting his multifaceted studio practice, the artist draws from a variety of sources for inspiration such as technology, mythology, and both Eastern and Western religion, creating a new and unique universe filled with religious and historic figures as well as anthropomorphic creatures.
By definition, the word ‘avatar’ comes from Hindu mythology, and represents a manifestation of a deity or soul released from their bodily form on earth. In today’s digital age, the word has taken on an entirely new and ubiquitous meaning, defining a graphic image which represents a person on the Internet. In today’s rapidly changing world, we are gods of our own universe, with multiple incarnations of ourselves in various abstract dimensions.
For Other Avatar, Zupa melds the symbolism and meaning of mythologies into the current context of today’s world. The artist views the modern day interpretation of the term ‘avatar’ as an example of the universality and lateral connectedness which he feels deeply inspired by. Zupa’s richly symbolic work is a representation of these themes.
As part of the ongoing Mightier Than series, Zupa will exhibit four new deconstructed antique typewriters, which are reassembled into assault weapon sculptures, bringing new meaning to the old adage ‘the pen is mightier than the sword.’ Additionally, the artist has created a series of 13 ‘birdpot’ sculptures, a recurring hybrid creature in Zupa’s work which has a pot-like vessel shaped body with a bird face. These mixed media creatures will be part of a life-size sculptural installation, surrounding an elaborately dressed Samurai riding on horseback, wielding an assembled typewriter rifle, which was most recently exhibited at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
Please join us Saturday, June 29th from 6pm - 8pm for the opening reception of Other Avatar. The artist will be in attendance. The gallery will be releasing a print with the artist in conjunction with the closing of the exhibition. The exhibition will be on view through Saturday, July 20th. For more information, additional images, or exclusive content, please email us at nyc@hashimotocontemporary.com