Kennedy Contemporary, a new art gallery in Newport Beach, will celebrate its grand opening with Elyse Katz’s solo exhibit “Silver Lining.”
The exhibit, which features mixed-media paintings, is a result of Katz challenging herself to paint daily since March 2020. The self-taught artist uses found materials such as vintage papers, text and typography to create a bird’s-eye view of urban and rural landscapes.
“I think of my paintings as landscapes of my inner world,” Katz wrote in her artist's statement. “The work isn’t meant to be literal, but instead is influenced by memories of places I’ve been and experiences from the life I’ve led.”
Gallery owner Victoria Kennedy has held positions at traditional brick-and-mortar galleries including Berggruen, San Francisco, and Gallery MAR, Park City, as well as online art gallery Saatchi Art.
She opened the 990-square-foot gallery space in January 2021 under COVID-19 restrictions. The gallery works with emerging and established artists. It also represents several local artists such as Katz, Chris Gwaltney and Heather Zusman.
The gallery’s grand opening is scheduled for June 3 at 10 a.m., and a reception with Elyse Katz starts at 4 p.m.
