Pish Posh at Hieronymus Gallery until September 29
words and photos by Jessica Hill
08/30/2018
Hieronymus, a local gallery in Akron, and Superchief Gallery, an independent, artist-run gallery in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, are partnering to create a pop-up gallery in Akron that features an eclectic mix of artists, ranging from graffiti to the grotesque.
Named after the children’s book “Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch,” the exhibit features a mix of eerie works alongside Superchief’s urban, graffiti-style pieces.
“The pop-up is trying to bring a different kind of art that isn’t typically seen in the Northeast Ohio area. We wanted to showcase a collection and bring in art that we really don’t get to see otherwise in the bigger cities like New York, L.A. and Miami,” Kat Wentz, Hieronymus’ collection manager, says.
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Pish Posh has collected a wide selection of work from more than 60 artists — some local, some international. The style of Superchief juxtaposes Hieronymus’s surrealistic, hyperrealistic and strange art with its graffiti, skater styles, Kat says.
The name of the exhibit suits the pop-up gallery. Hieronymus, which was established in 2014, was named after Hieronymus Bosch, a Renaissance painter who created many grotesque yet beautiful works — the same artist referenced in the title of the children’s book that inspired “Pish Posh.”
“Both galleries complement each other so well in a unique way,” Kat says. “People should get the chance to see some unexpected art and a chance to see something that they wouldn’t typically see in an art show in Akron.”
Douglas Hoekzema, a well-known contemporary muralist from Miami who goes by Hoxxoh, transformed the hallway of the gallery into a colorful mural installation called “Rain.Bird,” using a sprinkler system to create vibrant splatters of red, yellow and blue on the wall. The mural was inspired by Hoxxoh’s childhood memories of running through sprinklers.
A mural for Curated Storefront at Akron Civic Theater also displays Hoxxoh’s work.
“That’s a special feature that visitors will get to see,” Kat says. “Hoxxoh’s art is typically a psychedelic time portal. That will be at Akron Civic Theater, so you can come to Pish Posh and compare the two artist’s works.”
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Ekundayo, who will also show his work in the gallery, is an internationally-known multimedia artist who creates fantastic work. Ekundayo’s passion for art arises from childhood hardships and life struggles. Many of his pieces incite raw, human emotion that captivates the viewer, such as “Fantastic Voyage,” a mystical and emotional painting featuring a colorful skeleton standing on the sea, blowing sailors out of a boat.
Other artists will include Jeffry Chiplis, Josh Hall, Aaron Zimmerman, Michael Lucero and many more. The collection will show off a hodgepodge of bizarre, beautiful and urban art.
“People should come just to experience something different in Akron,” Kat says. “It’s a really wild, fun show, and it’s free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome to come and experience something that happens once in a while. The Superchief Gallery, I don’t know another time that they’ll come out and do something like this in Akron.”
Pish Posh is open until September 29 at the Hieronymous Gallery at 105 E. Market St. Exhibition hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 12 pm to 5 pm.
Jessica Hill is a senior at Ohio University studying journalism, global studies and Spanish.