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October 2023

 

Walled Gardens

Dillon Beck & Adam Elkins
Dane Khy

 

Opening Reception
Friday, October 6
7 – 10 p.m.

Closing Reception
Saturday, October 28
12 – 3 p.m.

Show Statements

WALLED GARDENS
A collaborative show by Dillon Beck (@dillonpaintsthings) and Adam Elkins (@autofocusasfuck)

A collection of wall sculptures and painted photographs celebrating the concept of growth. Adam Elkins (photographer) and Dillon Beck (painter/muralist) are back with a collaborative series exploring growth, change, and the power of nature. Plants grow through the cracks; community gardens thrive in vacant lots; small-scale parks serve as a large-scale escape for many city dwellers and even as housing for some. Even in the city, surrounded by asphalt, cement, and manmade chaos, nature cradles, protects, and thrives.

The concept of a “walled garden” is prevalent in our modern lives: think city parks, conservatories, and even single-family homes in a literal sense; think modern operating systems, social media, and general design systems in a figurative sense. In software design, it can be a dangerous tool used to trap people in a loop and maximize advertising profits and targeting. However, in nature it can create a beautiful guided experience and protect the gardens from negative human and animal intervention. In our show, I’d like to think the concept is a positive mix of the two of those ideas. The painted surround represents the walls to the garden: everything outside of those walls is out of our control, but the walls contain something beautiful. The photograph is a portal to another world, a sacred spot in a garden, a snapshot of a moment in time. We can’t control the outside world, but we can create a vignette in which to escape.

Serving as an extension from their past show, “Inside Looking Out,” at Skylab Gallery, Adam and Dillon progress from the past theme of isolation to the current theme of growth. The past show focused on isolation and anxiety felt during the pandemic, and while the problem still rages on, we as a society are learning how to live again. No matter how dark the past is, no matter how frustrating the present may be, the future is ours to brighten.

If nature can thrive in chaos, why shouldn’t we?

Walled Gardens- Dane Khy, 934 Gallery – October 6th, 2023 (@dane.khy)
My paintings explore the profound and often overlooked connection between humans and canines. No other species has been thoroughly integrated into human society the way dogs have. These four-legged companions have walked alongside us through the ages, their presence intertwined with our history, our survival, and our collective journey.

This collection may, at first glance, reveal dark undertones, gently alluding to the mortality inherent in our relationships with dogs. However, it is vital not to dwell solely on these aspects. Instead, let us acknowledge them as an integral part of the narrative. Through a palette of colors that range from somber to vibrant, I invite viewers to explore the nuanced layers of our connection with dogs. It is a connection that encompasses joy and sorrow, life and death, growth and loss. Just as the seasons of life are marked by the wilting and blossoming of flowers, so too are our bonds with dogs marked by moments of fragility and renewal.

About the Artists

Dillon Beck
Equal parts metal show, dance party, and LAN party.

DILLON BECK is an artist, muralist, and designer. He has over a decade of experience in the creative industry and about 35 years of experience on planet Earth. He works out of his studio at Blockfort Studios in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. Since childhood, Dillon has been obsessed with all things digital – from his first Nintendo Gameboy and Mac Classic to his current day interest in graphic design and digital manipulation. Growing up in a household of designers and witnessing the industry transition from analog to digital has inspired him to retrace those steps, bringing a digital aesthetic to multiple analog mediums such as canvas, wood panels, large scale murals and more.

He makes sharp edged paintings with a big digital influence and a lot of forced perspective. He uses aerosol, acrylic, airbrush, and other things that don’t start with the letter “a” like x-acto blades and tape.

Adam Elkins
Adam Elkins is a self taught photographer from Columbus, Ohio. Known for his work showcasing symmetry, gritty texture, and stunning reflections. Whether shooting digitally with an iPhone or with a film camera using expired film, his exploration of shape, tone, and light seem organic yet intentional, creating a calm in the chaos of nature and industrial architecture. Elkins’ raw portraits of friends, clients, and the disenchanted connect his subjects to their surroundings in a way that feels both cinematic and stereoscopic.

In addition to collaborating with editorial and commercial advertising clients, Elkins’ work has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Fader and on MTV.com and the Columbus Museum of Art has purchased one of his photographs to archive as a permanent part of their collection. In addition to photography, Elkins has made a name for himself through curation, consulting, and branding to build client social media presence. He also runs Process614, a local film lab located within Blockfort Studios.

Dane Khy
Dane Khy lives in Columbus, Ohio where he works as a painter and muralist. Over the years, Dane’s creativity has taken many different paths. He started in the marketing industry as a graphic designer and animator while side-hustling as a video producer. In 2018 he began working as a freelance illustrator for national brands. These opportunities led him into the fine art and public art space. His murals and paintings are influenced by vibrant multicolored palettes, human behavior and our altruistic desire to connect with other species.

Dane finds value and enjoyment creating in his community and for the city of Columbus. He opens up his studio door at Chromedge during Franklinton Fridays to welcome aspiring artists and share resources that have helped guide him on his journey as an artist.

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