jack the pelican presents

American Dream
Sarah Bereza, Maya Brym, Tom Costa, Kirk Fanelly, Nicole Gordon, John Jacobsmeyer,
Panni Malek, Ryan Seng, John Tarahteeff, Robin Williams

Opening: May 22, 7-9pm
Dates: May 22-June 21
Location: Jack the Pelican Presents
487 Driggs Ave.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Hours: Thursday-Monday, Noon-6pm
Contact: Helene@JackthePelicanPresents.com
718-782-0183

"American Dream" weaves together the disparate visions of 10 great painters from across the country. In these past few months the mood has changed. What once we took for granted appears to have vanished. America is a landscape, and a mythology. The most interesting of artists now stand perplexed.

The origin of the phrase "The American Dream" traces back to 1931, during the height of the Great Depression, when James Truslow Adams used it in his book Epic of America to talk about opportunities in this country for upward social mobility and prosperity. It didn't matter that it simply wasn't so. As a myth, it was compelling.

Many of us have 1930s on the brain right now. Time of hardship. The deco styles and regionalist art of that era feel so strong and simple and confident and hopeful. We can understand their appeal. During hard times, people need their dreams. Be they good, bad, or perfectly surreal, in the end, they're all we have.

ROBIN WILLIAMS
Robin Williams
Butter Circle
48 x 64in
Oil on canvas

Robin Williams
Digging In
40 x 60in
Oil on canvas

Robin Williams
Bounty
50 x 44in
Oil on canvas

NICOLE GORDON
Nicole Gordon
Pharoah's Rampant Indulgence Dams Egypt
48 x 72in
Oil on canvas

Nicole Gordon
Galveston's Rusty Energy Empire Debased
48 x 72in
Oil on canvas

JOHN TARAHTEEFF
John Tarahteeff
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
38 x 24in
Acrylic on canvas

KIRK FANELLY
Kirk Fanelly
The Money Lenders
42 x 60in
Oil on Canvas

Kirk Fanelly
It Might Be a Good Idea To Eat the Babies
35 x 55in
Oil on Canvas

JOHN JACOBSMEYER
John Jacobsmeyer
Ovul Office
42 x 50in
Oil on linen

John Jacobsmeyer
Freedom Invasion
36 x 48in
Oil on linen

MAYA BRYM
Maya Brym
Frozen Waterfall
72 x 60in
Oil on Canvas

RYAN SENG
Ryan Seng
Rudas, Twinkies, and Pop-Tarts
60 x 72in
Oil on Canvas
Ryan Seng
Ka
60 x 60in
Oil on Canvas

PANNI MALEK
Panni Malek
Cunt Licker
34 x 27in
Oil on Canvas

Panni Malek
Lux and Cecelia At Home
58 x 48in
Oil on Canvas

Panni Malek
Flowers and Dildos
45 x 36in
Oil on Canvas

SARAH BEREZA
Sarah Bereza
Mammoth Painting
76 x 88in
Oil on Canvas, frame: Wood, Foam, Epoxy, Fiberglass, Urethane

TOM COSTA
Tom Costa
Blown Out
54 x 60in
Oil on Canvas

Tom Costa
Big Softy
62 x 50in
Oil on Canvas