“Paleolithic Creatures”: Devin Thor Opens at Gallery 825 April 9

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Artist Devin Thor sculpts slabs of sandstone into representation of extinct mammals, an homage to our prehistoric ancestors and the animals they painted on cave walls across the globe. His work will be on display through April, at Gallery 825, with an artist reception on April 9 from 6pm to 9pm.

While Thor’s sculptures pay tribute early mankind’s inherent desire to express themselves, his sculptures reflect the artist’s ethical and evirnomental concerns. Thor says he is inspired to challenge the viewer to feel the natural spirit of inclusion:

There is no corner of this planet that man does not live in, and no corner of to which man has not caused change.

Using large hand-held circular saws with diamond blades, grinders with masonry grinding discs and sanding discs, a rotor tool with ceramic tile drilling bit, and an orbital sander, Thor shapes the flagstone into bison and antelope, while the stones’ natural colors–red from oxidized iron, black from oxidized manganese and green from the growth of lichen, an organic composite life form (some of which are considered to be among the earth’s oldest living things–add additional depth and flow to the sculptures.

Thor–a Southern California native whose father was Disney animator and fine art painter and whose sister is the owner of the boutique archaeology and who himself is a geologist–has visited multiple prehistoric art sites form France, Namibia (including the incredible world-renown site “The White Lady” at Brandberg), Arizona, New Mexico, and many sites all over Southern California. Through his sister, he was able to see many well-protected  petroglyphs that are not in the public domain. And while Thor has viewed many expressions of pre-historic man, his creations do not carry particular, individual symbolism but are rather part of a collective whole:

The animals do not have a totemic meaning, because I am a scientist, not a spiritualist. However, there is an interesting connection, in that some who might call it spiritual and some who would call it bio-connectiveness (the ecology of the world). These creatures are part of the continuum of life that has been on this planet for 3.8 billion years! Yes, the natural physical forces of the planet have caused huge changes in evolution and living creatures. In that sense we are all connected. Right now, man has created the atmospheric change that is heating the planet and causing climate change. Extinction is forever. We might be creating our own destruction. That is amazingly profound and 100% absolutely true!

 

Devin Thor, “Paleolithic Creatures”
Gallery 825
825 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
Artist reception April 9, 6pm to 9pm

For more about Southern California petroglyphs, check out this article from Vice Magazine

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