On Wednesday, October 20 at 7pm, enjoy an online art talk in conjunction with “Ghost Visions,” a solo exhibition by artist Joy Ray, currently on view at ShockBoxx Gallery and Projects in Hermosa Beach. Art critic, curator, and LA Weekly Arts Editor Shana Nys Dambrot will join Ray for a kaleidoscopic, candlelit Zoom conversation and séance of sorts about consciousness, intuition, dreams, memory, language, ghost stories, divination, tarot, ouija boards, automatic writing, ghost signatures, grave rubbings, alchemy, and more – an ideal precursor to Halloween. Find out more on the FB Event Page – see Zoom link below.

Joy Ray, “The Sign” 2021, Castoff denim, sand, paint, acrylic and string, 12 x 12 inches

Save the date: Sunday October 31, 2021: A Haloween-themed closing art party will be held (STAY TUNED FOR TIME)

“I think of ghosts as ambassadors to an unseen world,” Ray says. “This could be an actual ghost, or a dream, premonition, or intuition, one of those moments of strangeness that makes us aware of the fact we’re surrounded by the mysterious at all times.”

The abstract paintings and sculptures in Ghost Visions blur the boundaries between the seen and unseen worlds, using textiles throughout. Ray’s new works incorporate thrift store clothing and vintage fabric, especially well-worn denim jeans – all of them cast-away items full of secret histories. Ray uses glyphs, redaction marks, ouija-inspired lettering, and “ghost signatures” to explore the limitations of language. With the alchemy of rusted metal and “ghost impressions” made by applying paint to fabric on uneven surfaces, Ray’s intent is to invite collaboration from the shadow side.

Joy Ray received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and is currently an MFA candidate at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work is held in the collection of the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster, CA, and in private collections worldwide.

Visit the Facebook Event Page for more details; On October 20 at 7pm, visit Zoom: 479.922.3403; PW: 006346

What: “Ghost Visions,” Joy Ray
Where: online via Zoom (see info above)
When: October 20, 2021, 7:00pm
Website: https://www.shockboxxproject.com