Kasra Ghanbari of 44FLOOD curated a show at the prestigious dark art gallery/Paul Booth tattoo parlor in New York City, Last Rites Gallery, to celebrate the “TOME 2: Melancholia” anthology. The show opens this Saturday and is packed with artwork from “TOME” contributors. If you live in NYC, this is quite the opportunity. Not only do you get to see this amazing artwork up close, but many of the artists will be present during the show. To learn more, you can check out my interview with the 44FLOOD team here, hti up the Facebook page, and check out all the show details below.

Official Press Release:

NEW YORK, NY – Last Rites Gallery is pleased to present TOME 2: Melancholia, a group exhibition curated by Kasra Ghanbari of the art collective/publisher 44FLOOD, celebrating contributions to the upcoming publication release of the same title. TOME 2: Melancholia encompasses a hand-selected group of artists varying in medium as they tap into themselves and reflect upon both their past journeys and current states as creative individuals to bring us new ways of seeing and being.

TOME 2’s theme of melancholia explores an alternative definition of the term commonly used today. The concept of melancholia within this exhibition’s context refers to the eternal voyage our psyches embark on throughout our lives and evolutionary paths. It is about the mental states, as well as both the physical and emotional experiences endured, and how such experiences contribute to the shape of our creative choices and expressions that ultimately lead to individual discovery and introspection, as well as a collective evolution. TOME 2: Melancholia brings the trials and tribulations to the surface as every experience, reaction and event permeates the artist’s medium and results in a continual evolution of creating and ways of being. Each exhibited work will hark to the individual artist’s journey as a personal testament to their process and chosen path leading them to their current state. It is these uniquely individual journeys that lead to a specific stroke of paint, the unconscious decision to change the aperture setting or sudden strong desire to shape a new medium, all present in each one of these works of art. Although such things may not be obvious in the finished piece, underneath the beauty, there is a part of the artist left to be embraced or criticized, incorporated or ignored. Their bravery is apparent as they expose these bits of themselves with their distinctive inspired melancholia, and let go of it altogether, as they move on to their next journey. This, too, is one further passage in their personal and artistic evolution.

TOME is a limited-edition biennial anthology at a massive 12 x 18 inches and 200 pages with music CD from 44FLOOD that showcases world-class and emerging artists as they explore a single, esoteric theme using diverse art forms. TOME Volume 1 had a theme of VAMPIRISM and was released in March 2013. TOME Volume 2 has a theme of MELANCHOLIA and will be released February 2014. TOME is curated/edited by Kasra Ghanbari and was created/designed by menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari. More information at: http://www.44FLOOD.com

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 28th, from 7pm – 11pm. Last Rites Gallery is located at 511 West 33rd Street, 3rd floor, between 10th and 11th avenues, New York.