MOCA GA / Calendar

2016/2017 Working Artist Project

This round of Working Artist Project was curated by René Morales, Curator, Perez Art Museum, Miami, Florida.

About Craig Drennen

Craig Drennen is an artist based in Atlanta, GA.  He is represented by Samsøn gallery in Boston.  His recent exhibitions include “The Grafforists” at the Torrance Art Museum, in Torrance CA, and “New Mistress vs. Old Athenians” at Brooklyn Fireproof in Brooklyn, NY. His work has been reviewed in Artforum, Art in America, and The New York Times.  He teaches at Georgia State University, served as dean of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Since 2008 he has organized his studio practice around Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens.

About BANDIT

Since 2008 Drennen has produced artworks inspired by the list of characters from Shakespeare’s worst play, Timon of Athens. “BANDIT” is Drennen’s first solo museum exhibition and features new paintings, sculptures, and videos prompted by the character of Bandit. The Bandit works feature imagery borrowed from the traditions of Santa Claus, money, and the modernist grid. The exhibition will have a catalog available with an essay by Diana Nawi of the Perez Museum.

“Since 2008 I have organized my studio practice around Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens. It is considered Shakespeare’s most problematic work and is the only one of his plays not performed in his lifetime. I chose a “failed” work because the play’s obscurity creates unpoliced cultural bandwidth that I can occupy without incident. For each character in the play I produce a distinct body of work based on contemporary associations, resulting in a collection of related pieces composed of separately considered parts.

Timon of Athens is a corrupted text of indeterminate history, questionable sources, and a dubious relationship to the respected canon. That is to say, it mirrors my own position in the art world perfectly. The asymmetry between Shakespeare’s reputation and my own will likely remain intact. But there will come a time when Timon of Athens will be known as mine instead of his.”  -Craig Drennen

The opening reception for BANDIT was held on Friday, December 1, 2017, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Craig Drennen’s artist talk was held on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, from 7 – 8:30 pm

Major funding provided by the Charles Loridans Foundation and the Antinori Foundation, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

This exhibition is supported by:  Tim & Lauren Schrager, Camilo Alvarez & Samsøñ gallery and The 1970 Vodka