Panacea

New York’s Swivel Gallery approached Powerhouse Arts in 2020 to collaborate on producing a print edition for their inaugural exhibition, an immersive, site specific installation entitled PANACEA by Corey Wash that was on view from January 23 to February 28, 2021.

Wash is a multidisciplinary artist working across the media of illustration, paintings, installation, set design, film, and more.  Much of her work is concerned with ideas about one’s environment, culture, health, and identity — interrogating threats such as misogyny, racism, and poverty. PANACEA takes Wash’s signature artistic style, direct, immediate, and captivating and transforms the gallery into a surreal environment that includes hand painted “zero gravity” wallpaper and a waiting room featuring Wash’s own 60 page zine entitled “The Cure”.

The print edition executed in collaboration with Powerhouse Arts recalls a contemporary coming of age journey: a story of friends, love, struggle, a hero’s journey that pops off the page and encapsulates the viewer in hues of blues, both figuratively and literally.

The project was a welcome opportunity for the Powerhouse Arts print team to undertake, as the statewide PAUSE had mandated limited in-person access to the print shop and thus prompted a collaborative, coordinated effort on the part of the full print team — 7 master printers working remotely — to execute the editions.

The print team first outlined the elements of each individual color or “separation” and superimposed the layers into a digital file on Photoshop. The team printed the editions four-up, (four at a time) on a large format paper.

The editions of 10 different images were executed via screen printing, which yields greater range and saturation of color that is not achievable in a traditional CMYK digital print format.  Further, the handmade quality by screen printing lends a textural, layered quality that is not achievable when printed digitally which further enforces the uniqueness of each work.

Further information about the print edition is available at the Swivel Gallery website. Additional information about Corey Wash is also available on her website.

The limited edition is available for acquisition through Swivel Gallery.

Corey Walsh is a professional BMX rider known for his fearless, high-energy approach to riding pools, bowls, and transition spots. A back-to-back NORA Cup award winner, Walsh has become legendary in BMX culture for his ability to seek out and conquer seemingly impossible spots—from drained pools discovered while walking his dog to ancient Japanese structures and Mexican drainage ditches. He is a core team member for Cult Crew, Vans BMX, Odyssey BMX, and S1 Helmets. Walsh is also known for his DIY ethos, often organizing expeditions to track down holy grail spots around the globe and even constructing his own dream bowls. His video parts for Cult and Vans showcase not just technical mastery but also his role as the main motivator behind making many of these legendary sessions happen. Walsh lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.