Love is A Many Gendered Thing

July 27, 2022Brian KennyComment

In the beautiful city of Providence Rhode Island, I recently completed another permanent outdoor public mural, coming in at 1700 square feet, and three stories high! Through the efforts of The Avenue Concept, a Providence mural arts organization, I was connected to Open Door Health, a clinic specifically catering to the LGBTQAI+ community and was asked to create a mural on the largest outdoor facade of its brand new location, in my popular ‘line drawing’ style. For this project, I chose to create portraits of primarily Providence residents that span the queer and gender spectrums, as well as portraits of important nationally known Transgender icons. Set against a fluid interpretation of the Transgender flag, I wove the together the 14 portraits with symbols and imagery of transformation, gender fluidity, queer affirmation, and local flora and fauna. The result is “Love is a Many Gendered Thing”; a dynamic and life affirming tapestry of real people whose queer beauty and gender uniqueness I am honored and humbled to offer more positive visibility to the world.

Brian Kenny

"Love is a Many Gendered Thing" (2021)

Public outdoor mural (custom exterior latex acrylic on brick)

42' W x 40' H (about 1700 square feet)

Location: 21 Central St., Providence RI 02907

Client:Open Door Health (Providence's first LBGTQ+ focused clinic, IG:

Producers: The Avenue Concept (a non-profit Providence public arts organization

Sponsors: Pearl Street Lofts Association, Armory Revival Corporation, Adler's Design Center & Hardware and the Providence Hilton Hotel

People featured in the mural

(*- deceased):

Alice Firefly (she/them) (non-binary) (Providence)

*Chris Harris (he/him) (cis man) (Providence)

*Cristina Hayworth (she/her) (trans woman) (NYC)

Elle Moxley (she/her) (trans woman) (NYC/LA)

iO Tillet Wright (he/him) (trans man)(NYC/LA)

Kayden Marz (he/him) (trans man) (Providence)

Matt Garza (they/them) (non-binary) (Providence)

Nick Platzer (he/him) (cis man) (Providence)

Nielle Taylor (they/them) (non-binary) (Providence)

Richie De Filippo (he/him) (cis man) (Providence)

Shey Rivera Rios (they/them) (non-binary)(Providence)

*Sylvia Rivera (she/her) (trans woman) (NYC)

*Tatiana Jones (she/her) (trans woman) (Providence)

and myself (he/him) (NYC)

PRESS LINKS

CBS News 12 (TV feature). https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/mural-recognizing-lgbtq-rights-goes-up-in-providence/

WBZE News Radio (Boston). https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/mural-honoring-the-lbgtq-community-is-unveiled-in-providence/

HRC. https://www.hrc.org/news/am-equality-july-28-2021

Boston Spirit Magazine. https://bostonspiritmagazine.com/2021/07/massive-wall-mural-in-providence-honors-local-lgbtq-leaders/

Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/26/metro/mural-honoring-lgbtq-icons-is-standing-tall-providence/

Special Thanks: Nick Platzer, Alice Firefly, Josh Lee, Cassie, Matt Garza, The Haus of Glitter, Fran, Yarrow, Everyone at The Avenue Concept, Rich Ferri, Pepper, Richie De Filipo, Dr. Amy Nun, Everyone at Open Door Health, Tatiana Jones, Cristina Hayworth, Sylvia Rivera, Chris Harris, iO Tillet Wright, Elle Moxley, Shey Rivera Rios, Nielle Taylor, Kayden Marz, Alexa Gagosz, Drew Moholland, Kait Walsh, Jacqui Gomersall, The Providence Hilton

Thomas Cole and a Dream of Spring

March 4, 2022Brian KennyComment

A complete presentation of my animated short film “Thomas Cole and a Dream of Spring” in which I recreate the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River Valley landscape paintings of famed American painter Thomas Cole (1801-1848) into 3D perspective illusions with the viewer being able to 'fly into' or 'out of' his paintings, as well as animate the skies, water, objects, even Cole himself. I also wanted to have some fun animating the floral drawings by his daughter Emily Cole. And finally, I have some fun re-imagining his work into a playful psychedelic dream of magic and drama!

This film was commissioned by the Thomas Cole National Historic Site for “Spring Lights”; a live outdoor, immersive lights and sounds installation in April 2021, Catskill NY. Special thanks to voiceover actor Jamie Bell.

"I'MMATERIAL" a solo exhibition TW Fine Art in Brooklyn, July 1-August 14th.

June 15, 2021Brian KennyComment

(from Press Release)

TW Fine Art is pleased to present Brian Kenny’s multimedia exhibition, I’mmaterial, which features a variety of conceptual and abstract drawings, textiles, and installation pieces created over the last decade-and-a-half. Together, the autobiographical and improvisational works mark a progression in the prolific artist’s spirited exploration of queerness, sexuality, and American identity. This exhibition marks the first in TW Fine Art’s summer season of programming and events at the gallery’s Brooklyn outpost, located at 514 Atlantic Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11217. I’mmaterial will be on view from July 1, 2021 through August 7, 2021.

The exhibition considers the porous border between a person or object’s physical presence and its intangible essence. The title announces “I’m material” while also reinforcing the critical immateriality that animates the self and gives meaning to objects. Kenny recontextualizes found objects, such as old sports jerseys, American flags, jock straps, medicine bottles, or pages of a book, imbuing them with new significance. For Kenny, what makes art powerful is not the material itself, but the narrative, emotions, and personal connection that it can carry.

I’mmaterial features the latest in Kenny’s American Flag series, including a flag constructed entirely out of transparent shower curtains. Another is completely covered in vantablack paint, creating a void only distinguishable as a flag when viewed up-close. The flags signal the artist’s ambivalence toward his identity as an American; growing up as a gay person on a military base, he is both attracted to and repelled by the symbols and status of American patriotism.

Also included in the show are drawings from the Secret Heroes series, in which Kenny layers rebellious and raunchy illustrations on top of children’s coloring book pages. Using markers, crayons, and stickers, the artist subverts the genre and gives himself complete permission to color literally and figuratively outside the lines. Similarly, in Sacred Profanities, drawings overlay pages from a book showing Michelangelo's art, bringing the work into the present and inserting Kenny’s contrarian presence into the iconic scenes.

This exhibition presents a softer side of Kenny’s art; over time his work has evolved to embrace a more feminine aesthetic, subtler messages, and physically softer materials. I’mmaterial provides a rich cross-section of Kenny’s conceptual artwork, inspiring viewers to reconsider everyday objects as vessels for new and unexpected meaning.

INSTALLATION VIEW

photos by Rachel Cabitt

ONLINE VIEWING ROOM

PRESS links