war: design battle 1.0
mahan gallery opens an extraordinary exhibition of work by artists tony nguyen and adam otcasek, war: design battle 1.0. in what has become a popular underground movement in alternative art circles, one artist initiates a piece of work then relinquishes it to another to enhance, transform, redirect or infuse it with his style and personality. the work changes hands several times as each artist strives to eclipse the previous iteration.
going well beyond "photoshop tennis," nguyen and otcasek created a highly-disciplined, sophisticated environment in which to wage their design wars, with specific rules of engagement including the content and number of volleys, and even setting time limits for the return fire. the result is 96 individual pieces created along the battle spectrum (each an independent work of art) and 16 remarkable 7-layer pieces encompassing a variety of media: drawing, painting, photography and digital design. gallery visitors see the progression of each piece along with a digital print of the final artwork.
after studying fine art, drawing and painting at ohio state university, tony nguyen, a columbus native, went on to work in the visual and performing arts, including design positions at ad agencies, as a new media designer, and as a professional musician. "the process of this show is as critical as the work itself -- two people combining their own personal visions and thoughts to produce an almost completely unpredictable body of work," said nguyen.
adam otcasek has served as a creative director of an independent film studio, interactive media designer and freelance artist, and has contributed to award-winning interactive media designs and work published in a book on the best in flash design. otcasek studied at columbus college of art & design and school of visual arts in new york city, and is now partner of a design and marketing firm with locations in columbus, new york and boston.
both artists will attend the april 1st opening night reception open to the public from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm.
download art and reviews
columbus dispatch review (pdf)
for more information contact:
info@mahangallery.com
