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Contessa Gallery: Showcasing Groundbreaking Artwork by Mr. Brainwash, David Drebin, David Datuna & Gilles Cenazandotti at the LA Art Show 2016

January 25, 2016 - Anna Kasparek

Monday, January 25, 2016 – Cleveland, OH – Contessa Gallery will be participating in the LA Art Show, which is recognized for its reputation for providing fine art collectors with the latest in high quality Contemporary and Modern Art. The fair will begin on January 27th and run through January 31st, 2016. Contessa Gallery is thrilled to bring to Los Angeles the latest groundbreaking works by Mr. Brainwash, David Datuna, David Drebin and Gilles Cenazandotti.

Contessa Gallery recently hosted a separate booth entirely dedicated to Mr. Brainwash’s works at Art Miami, which was wildly successful. The artist himself designed the booth. Mr. Brainwash and Contessa Gallery’s efforts paid off, as it was a blockbuster attraction. Mr. Brainwash (born Thierry Guetta in 1966) began his artistic career over 16 years ago documenting the underground world of street artists. Eventually this endeavor introduced him to Banksy, who is unarguably the most anonymous and famous street artist living today. In 2008, Mr. Brainwash produced an explosive first solo show, Life is Beautiful. The epic display of hundreds of breakthrough works revolutionized the art scene not only in Los Angeles, where the show was held, but worldwide. This phenomenal exhibition skyrocketed Mr. Brainwash’s popularity. His artistic evolution is chronicled in the Academy Award nominated documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, coincidently directed by Banksy. Known for his stylistic combination of pop and street art, Guetta creates his works by brilliantly fusing together historical pop imagery with contemporary cultural iconography. This year, the gallery is excited to showcase the artist’s continual experimentation with new media and materials. Contessa Gallery is looking forward to debuting the latest energetic Mr. Brainwash works at the LA Art Show including a series of original canvases that pay homage to the highly influential artist David Bowie.

David Datuna (B. 1974 - ) experienced a landmark year in 2014, and 2015 was nothing short of a major success as well. Marked by the documentary debut of Datuna: Portrait of America, 2015 was another milestone year for the artist. The film was accepted and shown at many prestigious film festivals throughout the world, including: the Beverly Hills Film Festival, Montreal World Film Festival, Napa Valley Film Festival and most recently the Raindance Film Festival in London, where the documentary won Best Film amongst 90 other feature length films and over 200 shorts. Further highlighting Datuna’s great success, the artist world premiered, exclusively with Contessa Gallery, his latest endeavor: Rainbow Flags. “Only free people can dream and only dreamers can make a new world,” David Datuna states with the aim of breaking barriers and building bridges in their stead. Datuna’s Viewpoint of Millions series focuses on the importance of freedom for all of humanity. Freedom, the artist’s latest installation in the series, utilizes a universal symbol for the LGBTQ community, the Rainbow Flag. The contributions of the people depicted in the backdrop of the flags have won them a notable place in history. The diverse Rainbow Flags intend to promote inquiry, reflection, education and a dialogue. Datuna hopes that the dialogue will launch the viewer into a realm where, by example, a new understanding of a marginalized community and its struggle for equality brings the world a step closer to freedom for all of humanity. Contessa Gallery was thrilled to introduce this special exhibition at Art Miami, where the Freedom Flag series was exhibited for the first time globally. The gallery will be debuting new Datuna works from the series at the LA Art Show, including two new interpretations of the Rainbow Flags, with Hollywood and Music themes. In addition, Contessa Gallery is proud to premier a new Ziggy Stardust inspired work.

David Drebin (B. 1970 - ) is one of the most successful and highly collected photographers working today. Contessa Gallery recently inaugurated his latest monograph, Chasing Paradise, with a solo show for the artist at the gallery in October 2015. The popular exhibition launched a series of international book signings and solo shows with the artist. Chasing Paradise marks Drebin’s fourth monograph of works (preceded by; Beautiful Disasters in 2012, The Morning After in 2011, and Love and Other Stories in 2007). The book’s title is appropriate, as his works are compilations of alluring fantasies, didactic landscapes and mysterious circumstances, all in some way or another idyllic in appearance. The scenes that the artist creates are worlds nearly utopic in juxtaposition with the viewer’s actuality. Coming to the LA Art Show with yet another extraordinary David Drebin achievement, Contessa Gallery presents the artist’s latest vision: Photo Sculptures. Drebin’s glamorous and enigmatic muses are brought to life with the power of three-dimensional imaging. Translating his most elusive femme fatales into Photo Sculptures allows the viewer to investigate all angles of his most popular narratives. This next level of exploration unearths Drebin’s cinematic story even further. These sculptures are exclusively available through Contessa Gallery, and they are thrilled to debut Drebin’s newest Photo Sculpture, Photographing Herself, at the LA Art Show. Each Photo Sculpture is produced to the highest quality of craftsmanship in a limited edition of six. The gallery is proud to exhibit David Drebin's Photography, Neon Light Installations, Lightboxes and now Photo Sculptures, highlighting his ascension as a multidisciplinary Art World Star. 

Artworks by French artist Gilles Cenazandotti (B. 1966 - ) made an introduction to the United States and to the art fair circuit with Contessa Gallery last summer. There, attendees were able to experience Cenazandotti’s sculptures, which are made entirely out of petroleum, oil and plastic based objects that were found along beaches. The artist often uses endangered species as his subject matter. The reclaimed lost and found objects from the sea, which he uses to construct the figures, are essentially forms of pollution supplementing other detrimental factors in the decline of the environment. Cenazandotti addresses these ecological issues by making something extraordinary out of materials that are, upon first glance, undesirable. His didactic methodology translates into wall sculptures as well, where the discarded components are displayed in grid like collages, organized by shape and color. Contessa Gallery is honored to exhibit new works by the revolutionary artist at the LA Art Show, most specifically, ones that have never been seen in the United States until now.

About Contessa Gallery

Founded in 1999, Contessa Gallery offers artworks of exceedingly high quality as well as art acquisition counsel to collectors, museums and institutions. Areas of expertise include Pre-20^th Century, Modern and Contemporary sculpture, paintings, photography and works on paper. While many galleries focus primarily on artist representation and promotion, Contessa Gallery is collector focused. The gallery’s mission is to assist clients in developing collections that have deep personal meaning. Contessa Gallery encourages its clients to view their collections as a legacy that can be passed down through generations or to art institutions.

The gallery continues to expand its clientele and reputation through its participation in prestigious art fairs, such as; Art Miami, The American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF), The Armory Show – Modern and the LA Art Show. At the philanthropic level, Contessa Gallery aims to make a difference in the community through the contribution of time, expertise, sponsorship and educational programming for museums and organizations dedicated to the arts.

For more detailed information about the gallery, artists, exhibition history, art fair schedule and philanthropic support, please visit our website: www.contessagallery.com or contact Steve Hartman at 216-956-2825 or via email: art@contessagallery.com.

For high-resolution images of the above-mentioned works please contact Anna Kasparek at 216-382-7800 or via email: anna@contessagallery.com.

Contessa Gallery’s booth number is 209/308.