Daniel Hernandez Exhibit Explores 'Genesis' From Bible to Sega
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 14, 2015) — The University of Kentucky School of Art and Visual Studies has welcomed artist Daniel Hernandez to campus for an exhibition and residency. The public is invited to experience Hernandez’s work as well through "Genesis," an exhibition presented at UK’s Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, located in the Fine Arts Building. "Genesis" will have a closing reception beginning 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Tuska. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
The exhibition "Genesis" opened Jan. 10 and will close Feb. 12. In conjunction with the show, the artist will present a free public lecture at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Briggs Theatre in the Fine Arts Building.
"Genesis" is defined as “the coming into being of something; the origin,” but like many words that can be used as both noun and proper noun, what it communicates depends largely on its usage.
Two of usages of the word genesis, and the relationship that exists between them, are particularly interesting and relevant to Hernandez’s body of work. In the first, "Genesis" is the title of a religious text. In the second, "Genesis" is the Sega video game console that hit the home gaming market in the late 1980s. While these two usages come from very different traditions, they share some common ground.
On a basic level both signify a type of narrative device. In the case of the religious text, the Book of Genesis houses the creation stories that are part of the Christian tradition; Noah’s Ark, Adam and Eve, etc. Similarly, the Sega Genesis game console is a vehicle for narrative games like "Golden Axe," "Streets of Rage," "Altered Beast" and others.
On another level, both of the narrative collections that are associated with these usages of "Genesis" utilize the supernatural and mythic as a central and reoccurring theme. Hernandez admits that these comparisons may be a stretch, but he says that within the space that is created by embracing such eccentric relationships there exists interesting possibilities for artistic exploration.
Hernandez was born in San Diego, California, in 1977. He received a bachelor's degree in 2000 from Northwest Missouri State and a master's degree in 2002 from American University. Hernandez’s paintings explore the visual dialogue between religion, mythology and pop culture.
Artwork by Hernandez has been presented in two solo exhibitions at Kim Foster Gallery (New York City), where he is currently represented. He has also had solo shows in galleries in Ohio, Michigan and Arkansas. His work has been included in numerous group exhibitions including shows at Shizaru Gallery (London, United Kingdom); Southern Ohio Museum (Portsmouth, Ohio); Cindy Rucker Gallery (New York City); Strohl Art Center (Chautauqua, New York); Contemporary Arts Center (Las Vegas, Nevada); Lehman College Art Gallery (Brooklyn, New York); Westport Art Center (Westport, Connecticut); and Riffe Gallery (Columbus, Ohio).
Hernandez is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Art at the University of Toledo. He was awarded the Bellinger Award at the Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art in 2010 and 2013, and was selected for an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellency Award in 2011.
The UK School of Art and Visual Studies in the UK College of Fine Arts is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and visual studies, and art education.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu