EXPANDED DIMENSIONS08.30 2023
Mark Henninger & Ken Blahut
Mark Henninger’s “City in Transmutation: AI Vision of Philadelphia” and Ken Blahut’s “Modern Age Paintings & Sculptures” will be on display Sept. 1-30, 2023.
Opening Reception
Friday, September 1st, 2023
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Space 1026
844 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130
As artificial intelligence rapidly changes the way we interact with the world around us, Philadelphia artist Mark Henninger is wielding it as a tool, resulting in vibrant and intriguing photo-paintings. To create the digital paintings, Mark uses his photos of Philadelphia as substrate, and AI as his brush. His artistic toolset includes digital cameras, drones, knowledge of psychedelics, plus graphics programs. All pieces are printed with pigment inks on canvas, watercolor paper, or giclée art paper.
By contrast, using only his hands, paint, and rudimentary tools, Ken Blahut has created compellingly modern artwork. Ken’s mixed media sculptures embody the antithesis of new technology. Obsolete, discarded, and distressed objects like rusted cans, old tools, and fragments of ruined buildings get new life through juxtaposition, allowing them to be reconsidered and made relevant to contemporary life. Ken’s “modern age” paintings are created with cold wax using a method that combines the traditionally lush colors of oil paint with a medium that is ideal for retaining texture and for layering colors. Abstract and richly atmospheric paintings invite the viewer to contribute their own interpretations.
About Mark Henninger
Born in New York City, Mark Henninger spent his childhood around the world in Africa and Europe. After returning to the U.S. for high school, he studied both traditional photography and computer graphics. His visual art combines his skill with a camera, his embrace of new technologies like AI, and his 30-year push to elevate digital printing to its highest levels.
When he’s not making art, Mark is editor of Sound & Vision magazine, and founder/moderator of Audiophiles on a Budget, one of Facebook’s largest AV discussion groups. He cofounded photo-video firm Imagic Digital, is a Level 10 Google Local Guide, and composes original music as Dub King. Visit markhenninger.com for more information.
About Ken Blahut
From the outside looking in, Ken is what you might call a sleeper. A mild-mannered electrical engineer with a 30-year career at the FAA, having graduated from Cornell. Looking deeper, you find that throughout all this, he studied music, raised a family, took drawing and painting classes, and ran a marathon in every state. After his retirement, Ken has devoted all his bountiful energy to his art. His work has shown recently at Cerulean Gallery and in the Hilton Head Art League Biennale.
Additional gallery visits can be arranged during the month of September, contact ricejodi@gmail.com to schedule an appointment.