To Will Sanchez, art should elicit an emotional, visceral reaction.
“I want my artwork to be able to punch them in the face,” says the Gallery 1299 owner and artist. “That means you’re actually doing something that impacts somebody.”
Sanchez and the artists he’s featured, such as Brunswick painter Soledad Vasquez, deliver impact through dark concepts in abstract imagery, painted with bright colors and emotion. Sanchez’s new Warehouse District gallery is making an impression on the art scene by showing unknown artists in a neighborhood that’s less associated with gallery openings than it is bottle-service clubs.
His exhibits tend to be themed on topics that are relatable such as Idolatry, which runs Dec. 23-Jan. 4 and features various mediums that “capture the faith and spirituality we all seek,” says Sanchez. While the final works are still being selected, viewers may see a piece depicting Muslim beliefs, next to one representing Christianity or a work challenging their beliefs all together.
The gallery also reflects the neighborhood’s nightlife vibe with live music slotted at the Idolatry opening. For this exhibit, Sanchez will include his painting, Will to Power (above), where moody theological and evolutionary images are juxtaposed among turbulent brushstrokes that convey a realistic struggle of a vexing personal conflict.
“It doesn’t matter what their religion is or what their belief is,” says Sanchez. “The artist — their mindset — is always to challenge what’s going on in the moment, to question it and to put their opinion on canvas.”
More Info: gallery1299.com
