Nathan Spoor is an American artist, writer, and art curator. He is known for his acrylic paintings and the popularization of the Suggestivism art movement.

Nathan Spoor
NationalityAmerican
EducationAbilene Christian University (BFA) and Savannah College of Art and Design (MFA)
Known forPainting and graphic design
MovementSuggestivism
WebsiteNathan Spoor's website

Early career edit

Spoor graduated from Abilene Christian University with a BFA in Painting and Graphic Design, with a minor in Drawing and Illustration.[1] Spoor first began painting in his second year of college. He eventually graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design MFA program, however he took a lengthy break from his thesis work to become a graphic designer, becoming Art Director of his firm after two years.[2] In 2001 he moved from Texas to southern California.[3]

Exhibitions edit

The first public work by Spoor was a painted mural in the children's museum at the Grace Cultural Center.[4] In 2004 Spoor exhibited in the Six Degrees festival in the loft district of Los Angeles, a festival of art exhibitions, DJ sets, live entertainment, drinks, food and vendors within three conjoined warehouses.[3] In 2005 his exhibition at the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco was featured in SF Weekly.[5] His first solo exhibition was shown at the Earl McGrath Gallery in LA, entitled The Intimate Parade.[6]

Spoor is a founder of the Deity Group, a marketing and branding agency,[7] and in 2007 he co-founded the Venice Contemporary Art Gallery, for which he served as curator. The gallery exhibited live music, fine art, and technology.[8] He has exhibited at Los Angeles area galleries including Manifest Equality Gallery, Royal/T, CoproGallery,[9] and the J. Flynn Gallery;[10] Rotofugi Gallery in Chicago; galleries like Bold Hype Gallery and AFA NYC in New York City; and Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco.[9] He was also a part of the 100 Artists See Satan showed at the Grand Central Art Center in 2010.[11] Later that year he held an exhibition entitled Full X Moon to celebrate the tenth anniversary of his move to Los Angeles.[12] In 2013 Spoor also curated the exhibition Kindred at the Bold Hype Gallery in NYC.[13]

From September through November 2013 Spoor's work was featured alongside 40 others in an exhibition entitled Risque {dirty little pictures}, which he co-curated at the Long Beach Museum of Art. According to the Orange County Register, "The exhibit features 40 erotic-themed works from contemporary artists of varying skills and prestige from across the nation. The works range in their explicitness, with each featured artist expressing their own idea on canvas of what they consider risqué... The exhibit's opening night party drew nearly double the audience that other exhibits featured at the museum have typically generated, with most garnering a crowd of 300 to 400, organizers said. More than 800 came out for the “Risque” opening party."[14] In 2015 Spoor was a part of an exhibition shown at the Long Beach Museum of Art entitled Masterworks: Defining A New Narrative, which he co-curated as well.[15] The show sent attendance records at the museum.[16]

Suggestivism edit

Exhibitions edit

He popularized the term Suggestivism "a new ideal of beauty, or, the ability of an individual to pursue their [sic] purpose with an amplified understanding and sensitivity" according to the Orange County Register, with early representative works of the movement including his 2008 work Suddenly.[17] In 2011 he curated the exhibition Suggestivism from February to April 2011 at the CSUF Grand Central Art Center.[18] Spoor took three years to put together the exhibition, which features more than fifty artists.[19] In 2012 he curated the exhibitions Suggestivism NYC, with a total of more than forty artists, at the Bold Hype Gallery in Manhattan.[20] In 2013 Spoor curated a third exhibition, entitled Suggestivism at the Acquario Romano in Rome, Italy from May 3 to May 30.[21] Future exhibitions are planned for returns to Los Angeles as well as Rome.[22]

Publications edit

Spoor authored the book Suggestivism: A Comprehensive Survey of Contemporary Artists in conjunction with the first Suggestivism exhibition in 2011. The hardcover book featured by full color paintings and reviews of the work and movement. Artists featured in the book include Chris Mars, Alex Gross, Audrey Kawasaki, Jeff Soto, Ron English, Elizabeth McGrath, Tara McPherson, and Greg Simkins.[23] He has also been a contributor to publications including Juxtapoz Magazine, Hi Fructose Magazine, and Surfer's Journal.

Media and other projects edit

In August 2009 Nathan Spoor was featured in the cover of Bl!sss Magazine.[24] Spoor has also worked with the band Coheed and Cambria to produce artwork to complement musical projects.[25][26]

References edit

  1. ^ "Nathan Spoor". Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  2. ^ Greg Escalante (August 2009). "NATHAN SPOOR: The Infinite Story". Bl!sss Magazine. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Heseon Park (July 29, 2004). "A well-lighted underground". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  4. ^ Jana Keyes (December 1, 1995). "Art School". The Optimist. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  5. ^ "Artbeat". SF Weekly. February 23, 2005. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  6. ^ "Nathan Spoor @ Earl McGrath Gallery ~ Los Angeles, CA". Contemporary Art Live Journal. January 2006. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  7. ^ "About: Deity Group". Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  8. ^ Joakim Baage (June 14, 2007). "Buzz Watch: The Venice Contemporary Leads The Way For Mobile Art". Digital Media Wire. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Nathan Spoor: Past Exhibitions and Events". Art Slant. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  10. ^ Greg Stacy (December 20, 2007). "Getting Your (Holly) Jollies". OC Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  11. ^ Dave Barton (July 29, 2010). "The Prince of Darkness Returns". OC Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  12. ^ "Nathan Spoor Interview". Artist Insight's Inside the Artist's Studio. January 5, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  13. ^ Nastia Voynovskaya (March 14, 2013). "Preview: "Kindred" Group Show at Bold Hype Gallery". Hi-Fructose. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  14. ^ STEPHANIE WELDY (September 30, 2013). "LBMA exhibit shows off strokes of taboo". Orange County Register. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  15. ^ "Long Beach Museum of Art presenting 'Masterworks' in large new exhibition". Los Angeles Daily News. October 23, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  16. ^ "Long Beach Museum of Art to Host Masterworks Conversation Saturday". lbpost.com. Archived from the original on 2015-01-30.
  17. ^ Richard Chang (February 11, 2011). "'Lowbrow' art thrives in Santa Ana with 'Suggestivism'". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  18. ^ Daniella Walsh (February 2011). "Suggestive Sensation". Riviera Orange County. pp. 50–52. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  19. ^ Stacy Davies (February 10, 2011). "'Suggestivism' Is in the Realm of the Senses". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on September 5, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  20. ^ "WINNIE TROUNG - BOLD HYPE GALLERY "SUGGESTIVISM NYC"". Blisss Magazine. May 9, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  21. ^ Nastia Voynovskaya (May 2, 2013). "Preview: "Suggestivism" Group Show at the Acquario Romano". Hi-Fructose Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  22. ^ "Nathan Spoor Suggestivism Exhibitions". Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  23. ^ "Nathan Spoor: Suggestivism - A Comprehensive Survey of Contemporary Artists". Gingko Press. Archived from the original on July 20, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  24. ^ Evelyn Barge (August 11, 2009). "Local artist lands cover of BL!SSS magazine". Rose Magazine. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  25. ^ "Coheed and Cambria Announce October 9 Release of New Album, 'The Afterman'". Guitar Player Magazine. July 31, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  26. ^ Nastia Voynovskaya (November 5, 2012). "Nathan Spoor Collaborates with Coheed and Cambria for "The Afterman"". Hi Fructose Magazine. Retrieved June 12, 2013.

External links edit