BUSINESS IN THE FRONT,
PARTY IN THE BACK
HEYD FONTENOT
JANUARY 30 – MARCH 11, 2009
Reception – JANUARY 30 (8 – 10 PM)
Please join us Friday, January 30th from 8-10 p.m. as Art Palace presents Business in the Front, Party in the Back, a solo exhibition of new work by Austin-based artist Heyd Fontenot.
Artists have depicted the nude human body since ancient times. More recently, modest poses and fig-leaf campaigns have rendered the potent “nude” neutralized and neutered. Today, ten years into the 21st century, our human biological functions are still considered embarrassing, and in some cases objectionable. Yet, these inconvenient and involuntary responses are our closest connection to nature. In response to an art historical tradition of depicting the unclothed body in art and an equally complicated cultural tradition of modesty, Heyd Fontenot paints “naked people”. In his signature virtuoso painting style, Fontenot updates the tradition of the nude with contemporary concerns. Themes of sexuality, morality and desire are explored in a series of portraits that examine social politics and interpersonal relationships. Equal parts playful, erotic and sincere, Fontenot’s most recent body of work challenges the viewer to confront their own discomfort or anxiety about nudity.
Business in the Front, Party in the Back is on view from January 30th through March 11th, 2009. Art Palace is located at 2109 E. Cesar Chavez St. (next to Taqueria Chapala) between Chicon and Robert Martinez. The gallery is open Saturdays from noon to 5 pm, Wednesdays, 7 to 9 pm and by appointment. For more information about the exhibition or to request images, please contact the gallery at 512.496.0687 or artpalacedirector@gmail.com.
About the artist:
Heyd Fontenot was born in 1964 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He has lived and worked in Austin, Texas since 1989. Since his last exhibition at Art Palace in 2006 (East Meats West), he has participated in exhibitions at Conduit Gallery in Dallas (2008) as well as the Pouch Cove Foundation in Newfoundland, Canada (2007) where he was a resident artist. He was also awarded Dallas Museum of Art’s prestigious Dozier Travel Grant (2007). His work has been included in exhibitions at Diverseworks (Houston, TX), the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum (Ridgefield, CT) and Inman Gallery (Houston, TX).
Project Room:
Art Palace’s newly expanded “Project Room” will feature Sonya Berg’s newest paintings and collages. Berg is an MFA Candidate at the University of Texas at Austin.