OHT Gallery Boston

Previous Exhibits

Nick Z

Today's Pig is Tomorrow's Bacon

February 1 - March 1, 2008
Reception: Friday, February 1, 5:30-7:30pm

O·H+T Gallery is pleased to present Today's Pig is Tomorrow's Bacon, an installation of paintings, drawings, video, and sculpture by Nick Z.

From Me to You, Nick Z's 2006 installation in O·H+T's third floor project space, was characterized by odd, friendly characters, atmospheric backgrounds, small sculpture on shelves, and enigmatic bits of text. Since his move to New York two years ago, Nick Z's work has shown a building sense of confidence and daring. Often collaborating with other artists, he now works in broader strokes to address subjects such as defiance, wonder, hope, wants, needs, paranoia, physicality, and love. The most recent and most ambitious of these projects was his collaboration with German artist Kai Althoff, We Are Better Friends For It, at Barbara Gladstone Gallery in May, 2007. This large scale installation was described by Bridget L. Goodbody of the New York Times as "a cross between a shantytown and an after-hours club" and "a series of Merzbau sitting rooms."

It is impossible to separate Nick Z's work from his personal domain. Bouncing between the psychology of his inner world and an odyssey of real world experiences, he channels random phrases, spray-painted images, cartoonish faces, and abstract symbols to create intuitively structured environments which might feature paintings hung on the wall salon style or grouped together on the floor, sculpture fabricated from found objects, videos playing on monitors, and random wall art. Nick Z's work focuses so strongly on personal experience and stream of consciousness monologue that it would appear self indulgent, if he weren't such an engaging and sincere character. Like the journal of a scarred hero, his work tells of love, loss, bad times and good. Nick Z wears his heart on his sleeve ... but what better way to celebrate Valentines Day?

Nick Z is a Boston artist who has relocated to Brooklyn. He received a BA degree from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is best known in Boston as a graffiti artist, and has exhibited his work nationally including the 2005 Drawing Show at the Boston Center for the Arts and the above mentioned show at Barbara Gladstone Gallery, which was recognized in Artforum as #3 on Jack Bankowsky's list of the 10 best shows of 2007. This is Nick Z's first one-person show at O·H+T.