Shooting Gallery Presents: "Grand Illusion" Work by Anthony Michael Sneed

Online, June 23, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Shooting Gallery is pleased to present Grand Illusion, an installation of intensely colorful, visually striking paintings and handmade wooden object installations by Brooklyn-based artist Anthony Michael Sneed. This will be Sneed's very first project with Shooting Gallery, and his first solo gallery exhibition in the Bay Area. In addition to the works featured in the exhibition, he will be releasing a limited edition print with Paper Monster. The opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, July 9, from 7-11 pm, and the exhibition is free and open to the public for viewing through July 30.

Inspiration is a compelling force for Sneed, who pulls from a long list of influences for the pieces featured in Grand Illusion. By reexamining his own points of reference (including everything from coloring contests - to growing up surrounded by architectural references, courtesy of his mother), he's able to condense things to their most solid form, reverting to the beginnings of his connection to color and pattern. Straightforward in their form, bold, bright, and highly graphic, with just the right amount of painterly illusion - the pieces are Sneed's most current iteration of his color theory exploration. While working to evoke the feeling of immersion in his work, Sneed also employs the painterly technique of trompe l'oeil, in an attempt to catch the viewer off balance. His inclination for slight-of-hand may come from the artist's being ambidextrous. His painted shadows often give way to real shadows, and call for a closer look at each piece. The exhibition boasts a combination of works on canvas, as well as intricately constructed works on panel.

As a small child, Sneed suffered an accident that crushed his right hand, permanently disabling its use and thereby forcing him to become ambidextrous. The implications of being right handed and switching to left as a result of this trauma and the plausible impact it has on his right versus left brain functions fascinates Sneed, and inspires inquiry into how that has translated in his work. Legos, video games, optical illusions and even the arts and craft association of the artist's process are derivative of Sneed's childhood memories. These tools and their application to the large-scale canvas comprise an ultimately self-referential language dominated by the basic geometric nature of the pixel. Angular shapes and rational lines constitute the visual framework across all the mediums in which he works and gives form to ideas, both abstract and conceptual.

Anthony Michael Sneed is a self-taught multi-platform visual artist who lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Sneed has participated in both the Miami and New York City iterations of the Fountain mural project, as well as garnering shows at ArtJail and Leo Kesting in New York City.

The Shooting Gallery opened its doors in 2003 to the historic Tenderloin district of San Francisco; known for its lively street culture. Growing up in Southern California gave owner and curator Justin Giarla a love for everything lowbrow: pop art, street art, outsider art, punk rock album art, comic book art, surf/skate art and hot rod culture. Giarla recognizes how important it is to provide lowbrow artists with a platform for their work, which is exactly what Shooting Gallery has done for nearly a decade.

Media Opportunities:
Interview with artist Anthony Michael Sneed
Interview with owner/founder/curator Justin Giarla
High-resolution images available upon request

Event Information:
Grand Illusion
Opening Reception - July 9, 2011, 7-11 pm, on view through July 30, 2011
@ Shooting Gallery (www.shootinggallerysf.com)
839 Larkin St, | San Francisco, CA