Harman Projects is pleased to announce our participating in the Outsider Art Fair, the premier art event for self-taught, art brut, and artists working outside the traditional art world. For our debut presentation at OAF, Harman Projects will be presenting new and recent works by Alison Friend (United Kingdom) and Ravi Zupa (Denver, Colorado).
Alison Friend is a British artist who’s whimsical oil paintings capture the human-like antics of household pets rendered in a classical Old Masters style. Professionally, Friend has traditionally worked many jobs including as a children’s book illustrator, though her entry into the formal gallery world arose entirely by accident. During the covid pandemic, Friend embarked on a series of personal paintings which she posted on Instagram, only to find unexpected success as her depictions of pets stuck at home resonated with people around he world also stuck at home. The works went viral across social media many times over and in 2024, at the age of fifty, Friend had her first proper US gallery exhibition with Harman Projects in Los Angeles.
Ravi Zupa is a self taught artist based in Denver, Colorado. His “Mightier Than” series consists of mixed media sculpture that upon first glance convincingly appear to be assault weapons. However, closer inspection reveals the works are made entirely of typewriter and stapler parts. This selection in materials is intentional and meant to convey the power of word as weapons, proving that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword.
The Outsider Art Fair opens on Thursday, February 27th with a Vernissage at 6 pm