Let's Get Physical: A GROUP EXHIBITION EXPLORING THE NUANCES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FINE ART.

“Let’s Get Physical” are lyrics from one of Olivia Newton-Johns most memorable hits, it was also one of the most controversial. Due to backlash, Newton-John turned the provocative song into a playful music-video that takes form of an exercise video. The play on the word “physical” is the driving force of this exhibition. Each artist, within their own mediums, explore varying concepts of the show title. Brian Kenny’s realism oil paintings of soccer shorts and jock-centric themes, as well as Richard Gabriel’s Measuring Stick from 1996: Inside Joke for Me at the Age of Thirteen, calls attention to the tongue-in-cheek interpretation of “physical.” In contrast, Bond Hardware’s approach is that of the modern cultural refinement of fitness as seen in their elegant and sleek Home Gym installation. Alberto Pazzi's acrylic works bring us back to the 80’s aesthetic of fitness full of playful whimsical energy. Galen Gibson-Cornell, in his unique style of wefting and weaving found posters, highlights professional sports, with his large-scale New York Mets work on paper. Additional works by Andy Warhol, Devin Troy Strother, Ray Johnson, Nina Chanel Abney, & Roberto Lugo “play-off” and round out the show. Let’s Get Physical is an introspection of where we’ve come in terms of viewing fitness, physicality, and strength. From the pedestrian notions to the more serious and refined ideas we see today, this exhibition is meant to make the viewer explore the connotations of the word “Physical” - in a way Olivia Newton-John attempted to do 40 years prior.