The NacGroup announces the exhibition “Lost in Cinema” by Ivan Roque.

Ivan Roque’s “Lost in Cinema” is a series of 16 works based on the artist’s characters “Lost” and “Found.” Using collage and painting Roque pays tribute to 20^th century cinema greats such as Al Pacino’s “Scarface,” Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky,” series and the cult classics “King Kong” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

Born on December 27^th, 1991 Ivan Jorge Roque, also known as “The Lost Artist,” is a Cuban-American urban artist hailing from the inner city community of Carol City, Florida. Currently a student at the Miami International University of Art & Design, Roque is an emerging urban pop artists to watch. He has been working steadily and has accomplished quite a repertoire at an early age. Roque has participated in a number of group shows, has had a public installation commissioned by the town of Surfside and was chosen for the Pop Up Piano Series during Art Basel Miami Beach 2012.  

Roque’s collages present his interpretation of the world. The artist explores morality and questions definitions of right and wrong within the context of contemporary American society. He created the characters “Lost” and “Found” as a representation of the two halves that make up every individual, good and evil, mischief and innocence, rebellious and loyal. 

The new works present a move towards a new direction for Roque as he pushes his limits in “Lost in Cinema.” Movies are a source inspiration for the artist and he appreciates the medium’s ability to convey messages. Roque sees film as moving paintings with endless possibilities for interpretation. This association started the idea to merge cinema and fine art into this new series, which will be accompanied by a surprise site specific installation at Nac Gallery.

NacGroup is a global entity that consists of a group of like minded individuals with a shared passion and purpose, who have rejected today's accepted conventional wisdom as it relates to how a gallery should operate. NacGroup offers consulting services, brokering and collection as well as estate representation. Nac Gallery, a division of NacGroup, provides a vehicle for emerging and mid-level career artists to reach their respective audiences in a targeted and effective way. Nac Gallery is a fine art gallery located in the North Beach Arts District of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“Lost in Cinema” runs from May 18^th, 2013 through June 13^th, 2013 at Nac Gallery, 3325 NE 32^nd Street, Fort Lauderdale 33308

VIP Preview: Friday, May 17, 2013. 7-11 pm
Public Opening: Saturday, May 18, 2013, 7-11 pm

For more information on "Lost in Cinema", Ivan Roque or upcoming events such as auctions at the gallery visit www.nacgallery.com or call 805-272-5831

Miami's GG is Popular Demand!

Miami-based pop artist GG created a series of works for his solo exhibit “Popular Demand,“ featuring, well, paintings in his most popular and in demand style of iconic characters.

International collectors have been craving GG’s interpretations of icons and popular characters but until now the young artist has not had a chance to do the full series he had envisioned and wanted to do for a long time. 

GG turned Nac Gallery in Fort Lauderdale into the world of Fedo, a character he created in 2009. This signature character, that can also be seen on many walls in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, has been the center of many works by GG who describes Fedo as “curious, confused and always honest.”

For “Popular Demand” GG revisited his flat, saturated depictions of iconic figures and this new series surely did not disappoint. The exhibit brings together film, fashion, sports, music and art as well as a major influence and passion of the artist, computer games. The Super Mario Bros, Darth Vader, Batman and the Joker as well as Minnie and Mickey Mouse are easily recognizable favorites around the world and GG infused them with his distinct Fedo eyes and facial expression.

“Popular Demand” also featured Karl Lagerfeld and Muhammad Ali, two icons GG respects for their achievements in their respective fields and there was a Bob Marley, who was snapped up by a collector prior to the public opening reception. Some of GG’s biggest inspirations, the artist Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat can be seen in new versions in “Popular Demand.” Previously, GG incorporated more color and the art of the respective painter but for this new series he stripped his depictions to the basics, relying solely on the strength of the central character.

GG has undergone a maturation process and has started to gravitate towards explorations of more abstract concepts based on emotions, experiences and observations especially relating to Miami. He has started to incorporate scribbles and continuing narratives and has started to additionally use more muted color palettes.

About his solo exhibition GG says, “This show has been something I wanted to develop for a long time. I have been doing tributes to other artists and popular characters but never developed an entire series based on this one topic.” He adds, “It is a part of my work I really wanted to showcase and even though I might be working with iconic figures in the future I wanted to bring some closure to this chapter and start working on some more developed and intricate pieces.”

“Popular Demand” is GG’s most important show to date as the show will travel from Fort Lauderdale to New York and Los Angeles this year, establishing GG further as a young artist on the rise.

“Popular Demand” runs through April 15^th, 2013 at Nac Gallery, 3325 NE 32^nd Street, Fort Lauderdale 33308

Popular Demand with Venezuelan Artist GG!

The NacGroup announces the solo show “Popular Demand” featuring 20 new pieces by Miami based Venezuelan pop artist GG.

As much as “Popular Demand” will satisfy the collectors’ cravings for GG’s work, the title really plays devil’s advocate as it refers to the artist’s personal demand of making a series of paintings of popular icons he appreciates.

“Popular Demand” will be GG’s most important show to date as the show will travel from Fort Lauderdale to New York and Los Angeles this year. Geared towards establishing GG as a nationally recognized artist on the rise, the NacGroup’s Vincent Harrison and Karla Livingston have been working closely with the artist to present a convincing body of work in an expertly curated exhibition.

In addition to the new work, GG will also incorporate the gallery walls into the exhibit to convert the entire space into an imaginary world. Says GG, “The idea behind ‘Popular Demand’ is very simple. For the past two years I have been randomly painting tribute pieces to artists and popular icons who have inspired me, such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Baquiat, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali. I wanted to develop a cohesive series based on popular people and characters who I admire.” The new series for “Popular Demand” features iconic cartoon and film characters such as Batman and the Joker as well as a Star Wars Storm Trooper. 

GG creates gallery art inspired by pop and urban art. His recognizable style and signature character have become part of the Miami artscape as well as many international art collections. The cartoon-ish renderings, inspired by art history, current affairs as well as the artist’s personal experiences and emotions, have evolved continuously as the artist has matured and now speak to a varied and sophisticated audience.

Harrison and Livingston have been working with GG since 2011 and have taken his work to major art fairs across the US. The response to GG’s work has been phenomenal, making him the best selling artist for the Nac Gallery.

NacGroup is a global entity that consists of a group of like minded individuals with a shared passion and purpose, who have rejected today's accepted conventional wisdom when it comes to how a gallery should operate. NacGroup offers consulting services, brokering and collection as well as estate representation. Nac Gallery, a division of NacGroup, provides a vehicle for emerging and mid-level career artists to reach their respective audiences in as targeted and effective way as possible. Nac Gallery is a fine art gallery located in the North Beach Arts District of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The “Popular Demand” public opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 16^th 2013 with a VIP opening reception for collectors and media on Friday, March 15^th 2013.

“Popular Demand” runs from March 16^th through April 15^th at Nac Gallery, 3325 NE 32^nd Street, Fort Lauderdale 33308.

VIP Opening Reception - Friday, March 15^th, 2013, 7-11 pm

Public Opening Reception - Saturday, March 16^th, 2013, 7-11 pm

For more information on “Popular Demand,” the artist, or upcoming events such as monthly auctions at the gallery visit www.nacgallery.com