Steve Ellis
STEVE ELLIS .jpg?1389901280)
Condé Nast Building
January 15 - March 17, 2014
Open: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 7 pm
Artist Reception: Thursday, January 30, 6 - 8 pm
Steve Ellis uses pop culture iconography to explore historical and contemporary issues that resurface over the years. From graphically realistic architectural cityscapes to politically heavy metaphors, Ellis addresses society’s conglomerate past, present, and potential futures. His intricate details urge viewers to be ever aware of their vivid surroundings.
Previous series have investigated the death of print media and the damaged, transitory beauty of American and New York City culture, by featuring consumer detritus such as torn magazines, cigarette lighters, knives, broken high-heeled shoes, and crashed cars. Ellis investigates the myriad of ways in which societies hoard physical remains of their prior experiences. With his most recent piece, "Coming Soon to Times Square", Ellis examines the historicity of New York City's glittery and gritty center as reflected by the ever-changing advertisements that cover its facades.
“I’ve created a visual timeline in the form of multiple layers of a peeling billboard that exposes the history of the area and its fast-paced nature. From the future’s promise of ‘Coming Soon’ to Times Square’s first theatre in the 1890s, the decades peel away to expose its colorful history and evolution. … This painting documents twelve decades of imagery compiled through extensive research of the area’s landscape, people, architecture, and signage. I embrace its glamorous heyday and its filthiest decades with the same fascination.”
Condé Nast Building
4 Times Square
New York, NY
New York, NY
January 15 - March 17, 2014
Open: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 7 pm
Artist Reception: Thursday, January 30, 6 - 8 pm
Steve Ellis uses pop culture iconography to explore historical and contemporary issues that resurface over the years. From graphically realistic architectural cityscapes to politically heavy metaphors, Ellis addresses society’s conglomerate past, present, and potential futures. His intricate details urge viewers to be ever aware of their vivid surroundings.
Previous series have investigated the death of print media and the damaged, transitory beauty of American and New York City culture, by featuring consumer detritus such as torn magazines, cigarette lighters, knives, broken high-heeled shoes, and crashed cars. Ellis investigates the myriad of ways in which societies hoard physical remains of their prior experiences. With his most recent piece, "Coming Soon to Times Square", Ellis examines the historicity of New York City's glittery and gritty center as reflected by the ever-changing advertisements that cover its facades.
“I’ve created a visual timeline in the form of multiple layers of a peeling billboard that exposes the history of the area and its fast-paced nature. From the future’s promise of ‘Coming Soon’ to Times Square’s first theatre in the 1890s, the decades peel away to expose its colorful history and evolution. … This painting documents twelve decades of imagery compiled through extensive research of the area’s landscape, people, architecture, and signage. I embrace its glamorous heyday and its filthiest decades with the same fascination.”
