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Four Artists Explore Two Different Branches of Abstract Art

Opposing schools of abstract art collide in Oakland exhibition 'New Radius.'
Images courtesy the artists

Four abstract artists, each deeply connected to the Bay Area, come together for New Radius, an Oakland exhibition at Athen B. Gallery opening this Saturday, which juxtaposes flattened perspectives and geometric shapes with the ‘poetic singularity’ of softer, more subtle works. The bridge between these two aesthetics allows artists Chad Hasegawa, Erik Otto, Mark Warren Jacques, and Muzae Sesay to reflect and build upon each other’s work.

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Hasegawa and Sesay share a love for bold, bright lines and hard shapes. Sesay’s interest in fragments and flattened perspectives compliments Hasegawa’s simple and and stark forms. Meanwhile, Warren Jacques’ works, inspired by landscapes and the night sky, share a softness with Otto’s mixed-media pieces. Warren Jacques attempts to capture wide expanses of space and time, however, Otto concentrates on fleeting moments and transformations. The artists’ aligned interests, as well as their different perspectives, make New Radius a complicated and thoughtful abstract exhibition.

New Radius will run from July 9th until August 5th, and all four artists will be present at the opening reception this Saturday. Honolulu-born Chad Hasegawa, who has lived in San Francisco for 16 years, originally had a successful career in advertising. He eventually left, though, and focused on street art before turning to more traditional painting. He has just finished a residency at de Young museum in San Francisco. Originally from San Jose, Erik Otto currently lives in San Francisco where he has worked in the fine arts for ten years. He works with a variety of media including painting, sculpture, and installation art.

Mark Warren Jacques grew up in the Bay Area and made art from a young age, especially graffiti. He currently lives in Portland, OR, and has exhibited internationally. Finally, Muzae Sesay, who was born in Long Beach but grew up predominantly in Anaheim, has lived in San Francisco for five years. His work distorts images from the physical world to play with perspective and invites the viewer to consider its visual shortcomings.

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See more work from Chad HasegawaErik OttoMark Warren Jacques, and Muzae Sesay on their websites. To learn more about New Radius, click here.

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