Delita Martin and Josua Hagler at Nicole Longnecker Gallery

Nicole Longnecker Gallery presents dual exhibitions: “Between Sisters and Spirits” featuring new work by Delita Martin and “In the House is a Room into which Every River Empties” from Joshua Hagler from December 2, 2017 to January 6, 2018. There will be an artists’ reception on Saturday, December 2, from 5-8pm.

“Using printmaking, drawing, painting and needlework Delita Martin creates powerful, larger-than-life portraits that demand interaction with the viewer,” said gallery owner Nicole Longnecker. “I want to know more about every one of these beautiful women, who are they, what is their story? I am glad we can show Joshua Hagler with Delita. Joshua’s paintings also ask the viewer to participate by creating tension with fractured visual layers. The final result creates a feeling of motion by visually bending time and place. I’m sure our collectors will find much to like in these exhibits.”

DELITA MARTIN: Delita Martin is an artist currently based in Huffman, Texas.  She received a BFA in drawing from Texas Southern University and a MFA in printmaking from Purdue University. Formally a member of the fine arts faculty at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Martin is currently works as a full-time artist in her studio, Black Box Press.

Martin’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. Most recently Martin’s work was included in the State of the Arts: Discovering American Art Now. An exhibition that included 101 artists from around the United States. Her work is included in numerous portfolios and collections.

About “Between Sisters and Spirits” Delita Martin explains:

“Wherever two or three woman are gathered together, there is the spirit and authority of Sande.”   -Mende belief

“-Women create Sande on the spot where they group together, sharing with one another, excluding men. This space is defined by privacy and secrecy- Women together in their womanhood, in a free exchange of words and actions among sisters – This is Sande.”    -Sylvia Arden Boone  “Radiance From The Waters: Ideals of Feminine Beauty in Mende Art”

“The duality of women in this body of work project the spirit and its connection to the physical world, which reinforces the bond amongst women and how they coexist in the physical and spiritual realms. The mask seen in the work are my interpretation of the Mende mask, specifically created for young girls being initiated into Sande. These masks are created as a reminder that human beings have a dual existence viewed as one body.

“In this work, I am also exploring the different signs and symbols that help define the space the women reside in. In my previous works, the backgrounds communicated a specific sign, symbol, or icon to assist the viewer in their conversation with the work. Those signs and symbols helped define the perspective of the image. This body of work transitions the women and their place of residence into a spiritual realm, where the symbolism is less defined, the shapes are more organic, and the icons are left for the viewer to ponder and creating a space for the women to be birthed into.”

JOSHUA HAGLER: Recently relocating from Los Angeles to New Mexico, Joshua Hagler’s work has followed a path of inquiry ranging from an intense interest in religious thought and its history into Westward Expansion, notions of progress and exploration, collective cultural mythologies—especially those reflected in Hollywood films—and the poetics of theoretical physics.  With a focus on painting, Hagler’s ideas and interests expand into installation, video, animation, book making and other projects.

Since 2006, Hagler has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout North and South America, Europe, and Australia, including a long list of solo exhibitions. In the summer of 2017, he was awarded a spot at MICA’s Alfred and Trafford Klots Program for Artists in Brittany, France and, is currently attending the year-long Roswell Artist in Residence Program in New Mexico, which includes full financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Sustainable Arts Foundation.  His project proposal for a major installation and exhibition was chosen by the Brand Library and Art Center in Los Angeles to debut in the summer of 2018.