The Swarm and Color Theory

This past Saturday, EN EM Art Space in Sacramento opened its doors with two new shows. Joomi Chung's Swarm and local artist, Jose DiGregorio's i think i'm going blind. The show of two artists was met with resounding positive reception.

Like lightning in the air, Joomi Chung's installation drew crowds in from off the streets. Visitors were caught up not only in the intrigue present in the superficial appeal of the piece, but also in the meditation provoked by the depth and complexity of the work.

The piece is comprised of fine wire and black paint fashioned in amorphous clouds, the interest of which lies in both Joomi's successful integration of organic and inorganic or man-made shapes and networks, as well as her ability to straddle the line between ambiguity or obscurity and definiteness, pattern, and structure. The cloud produced by Joomi's attention to the fine filaments comprising her swarm instills a sense of care and labor despite the overwhelming presence of disarray and mess.

Jose's collection of works titled, i think i'm going blind, mirrors those same themes and tones as Joomi's installation. However, where Joomi utilizes the hazy and indeterminate, Jose's body of work employs color. Jose's use of color in both harmony and animosity fabricates an otherworldly and ethereal effect. The colors and effects created by Jose's style and medium are chaotic in the same sense that Joomi's is, but Jose's style does not attempt to straddle the same line that Joomi does. While the two shows do play off of one another, Jose's works are much more cosmological in approach. The play of color schemes of the painted walls in tandem with the color palettes of the canvas works is antagonistic and harmonious. While the audience were more prone to commenting that the pieces felt "happy" or "optimistic," this blogger was inclined to comment that the works were metaphysical and doctrinal, occupying the space between individual and universal.

This latest show by EN EM is perhaps its turning point in both audience and approach. The combination of Joomi's installation and Jose's collection have created a matchless show, which highlights both the possibilities of more traditional mediums with the avant garde to produce supernatural results. 

If anything, Joomi and Jose's works will provide a gateway for the unconventional and progressive in city known for its dedication to the past.