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017. The Ecosystem of Art and Design, Part 3: People

As we near the end of season one, we will be spending the next few episodes unpacking what we mean by the ecosystem of art and design. The ecosystem is the interconnected web of organizations, events and people who make up what we think of when we talk about art and design in our communities. While it is easy to focus on the individual parts, the reality of art and design is that is highly contingent on the way in which all of its supporting parts interact.

In this third installment of our series on the art and design ecosystem, we dive into the people by interviewing a dear friend of the show, Ian C. Hess. Ian C. Hess is the Creative Director of Endeavor RVA, a studio and gallery that facilitates creative projects featuring artwork from fellow creatives alongside that of its in-house artists. 

For Ian, character, concept, and form are always at the center of his artwork. Often his characters end up faceless, or their identity being the suggestion of something much bigger, or even impossible. In studying portraiture, he has found a resonance with antiquity and iconoclasm that’s resulted in bizarre color palettes, fractured forms, and emotional expressions through recognizable imagery.

Whether steeped in reference or from imagination, his works seek to find a balance between opposites such as sharp yet soft, solid yet transparent, repetitious yet unique.

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Get prepared for Current Art Fair!
Shockoe Artspace is proud to once more be a part of Current Art Fair, Richmond, Virginia’s premier art fair. From October 24 – 27, more than 15 galleries will call the Bon Secour Washington Redskin’s Training Camp home. Shockoe Artspace will be leading guided tours of the gallery, offering portfolio reviews and premiering our new documentary. Tickets are on sale now. Come see us at Current Art Fair!