Darius Airo: Casual Banter

Face Guts is pleased to announce Casual Banter, an exhibition of drawings on paper by artist Darius Airo, curated by renowned photographer Joshua White.  This collection of work, drawn from the last decade and largely in black in white, are filled with visual and historical references, and incorporate Surrealism, Symbolism, Band T-shirts and posters, Poetry (sourced and the artist’s own) Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Architecture. Airo’s works on paper explore grotesquerie, an essential element of the Chicago Imagists representation of the figure, a strong influence on the artist’s practice. Longtime friends, Casual Banter marks Airo and White’s first formal collaboration, and is organized at Face Guts, the artist Tim Biskup’s studio and gallery.

Based in Chicago, Darius Airo’s artistic practice was influenced by his interest in animation and graffiti, and was greatly influenced by Martha Cooper's photography, Nickelodeon Animation, and artist Robert Crumb. Airo worked as a studio assistant to Tony Fitzpatrick as a teenager before receiving his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017. Casual Banter is presented alongside a separate exhibition of his paintings  at Central Server Works in Venice California. Opening September 29th 2023

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Joshua White has a 30-year history as a photographer documenting art and architecture internationally , studios, galleries, White’s work has been featured in hundreds of books and periodicals and He continues to engage with hundreds of artists and curators in around the world and is known for his singular photography style and keen eye for contemporary art.

Airo and White met at the artist's first exhibition in 2022 at Central Server Works, and a friendship developed, with Airo sending works on paper as gifts to his friend. Over time, White suggested to Airo that  his works on paper should be exhibited and shared with a larger audience.

White was approached by friend and colleague Tim Biskup, an artist and founder of Face Guts to mount an exhibition of this facet  of Airo’s work.

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Casual Banter will run concurrently with Airo’s two person painting show DENSE featuring new paintings by Darius Airo and Jim Mooijekind.

DENSE is presented by Central Server Works and Marian Cramer Projects at Central Server Works in Venice, California, and opens September 29th 6-8pm