JOHH DWYER: SUPER POOR FRIENDS, JUAN LUNA-AVIN: ESTAMOS VIVOS!, AUG 3 - SEP 1, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Opening Reception for two solo exhibitions: "SUPER POOR FRIENDS" featuring new work by JOHN DWYER, and "Estamos Vivos!" featuring new work by JUAN LUNA-AVIN. Friday, August 3, 2007 at QUEEN’S NAILS ANNEX from 8-11pm. The exhibition will continue until September 1, 2007.

Queen’s Nails Annex is thrilled to announce that its August exhibition will highlight new work by artists John Dwyer and Juan Luna-Avin. Both artists will be mounting site-specific works for this dual-exhibition. John Dwyer - painter and musician, creates works that are autobiographical within their roots and sprout into beings all their own from dream sequences containing various childhood and pop culture references. Dwyer builds atmospheric-illusion based paintings, mural works and other creations that contain cartoon caricature, vibrant color and encompassing shapes using traditional mediums to furniture objects. Dwyer’s mindful thought processes entail issues important to him; especially his obsessions in life, fears and desires. John Dwyer lives and works in San Francisco and has exhibited extensively throughout the San Francisco area.

Juan Luna-Avin, originally from Mexico D.F., has built a reputation for looking back into his Mexican heritage at the core of his work. His inspiration for this exhibition stems from tributes to his favorite musical movements that have transpired throughout time in all of Latin America and Spain, most specifically his attachment to the legendary Mexican metal rocker, Paco Gruexxo, who led various influential underground rock tours for several decades in Mexico. For this exhibition, Luna-Avin will be presenting wall drawings, paintings and sculpture based on iconic rock music images and characters from his upbringing in Mexico City during the 1980’s. The work is colorfully and textually powerful, aiding viewers to understand his exploration with various cults of personality in pop culture. He is titling his work "Estamos Vivos!" translated as “We are Alive!” originally proclaimed from Paco Gruexxo. Juan Luna-Avin lives and works in San Francisco bay area and has exhibited extensively throughout California including: UCLA Hammer Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and Museum of Contemporary Art: Los Angeles. This will be his second exhibition with Queen’s Nails Annex. A limited edition compilation music CD, Cxido, Cxido, Wuan! by Luna-Avin is available for $10 at the gallery.