Non-Essential Consultants, Inc.
Duke Riley
TEMPUS PROJECTS
January 18 - February 22
MEMBERS COCKTAIL HOUR :: THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 @ 6-7PM (BECOME A MEMBER)
OPENING RECEPTION :: THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 @ 7-9PM
Non-Essential Consultants, Inc., a three channel video installation, combines narrative and documentary filmmaking to depict an allegorical history involving two outlaw operatives responsible for a bed bug outbreak in Washington, DC. The video revolves around a sculptural element; a vintage suitcase retrofitted with scientific machinery and medical equipment used for breeding bed bugs. This suitcase also contains a diorama of a luxury hotel room, from a notorious hotel located near the White House, symbolizing the convergence of corporate and political power. The installation draws inspiration from 1960s spy thrillers, reflecting the current public distrust of government and media, as well as the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements and national security threats. Ultimately the installation highlights the permeability of even the most fortified power structures.
Duke Riley has had solo exhibitions at Magnan Metz Gallery, New York City; the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland; the Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY; and the Havana Biennial (2009 and 2015), among other venues. He has received numerous awards and commission, including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, the U.S. State Department’s SmARTpower Program in China, and the MTA Arts For Transit commission for the Beach 98th Street Station renovation. In Spring 2016, Riley partnered with Creative Time and the Brooklyn Navy Yard to produce Fly By Night, a public art project which was presented again in 2018 by 1418 Now and the London International Festival of Theater. Born in Boston, he received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, in Providence, before moving to New York, settling in Brooklyn, and earning his M.F.A. from Pratt Institute.
1624 E. 7TH AVE., YBOR CITY
Gallery hours :: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays 12-6pm, Thursdays 6-9pm for events, and by appointment - text 813-340-9056
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Tempus Projects is dedicated to nurturing established and emerging local, national, and international artists through exhibitions, collaborations, residencies, and events. Our non-profit organization promotes artists working in all media, and develops, organizes, and hosts exhibitions that engage the Tampa Bay community through the arts.
Our vision is to foster a vibrant and critical arts nexus that connects grassroots efforts to an international arts dialogue through innovative, equitable programming. Tempus Projects is committed to inclusion, accessibility, collaboration, innovation, and integrity.
