Step into the Cory Allen Contemporary Art showroom (2121 2nd Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL) and you will be greeted by a cast of wondrous and otherworldly characters. As if boarding a white-walled spacecraft the space feels eerily futuristic but is clearly grounded in earth and nature you will find, once the details of the exhibit are examined.
The minds and hands behind this fun and fascinating trip belong to a duo known as Spathose. Business and life partners of 25 years, Scott Durfee and George Medeiros specialize in modernizing organic art. Their brand of fine art creations include sculpture and installation as well as wearable accessories. All are connected by their core material palm spathe. Inspired by its majestic yet simple form, they have elevated a material that is normally viewed as trash to a level of sustainable elegance, even opulence.
As you make your way through CACA's main showroom you will come face to face with a fierce and mighty Huntress, cross the path of the Snow Miser and make aquaintances a curious and witty looking individual named Blue Who. In the back gallery, among impressive samples of works by other CACA artists you will find a treasure trove of inspired wearables. Each necklace, bracelet and bowtie is a one of a kind statement piece. The Spathose duo curated their own exhibit, a knack for which not every artist has. Their aesthetic choices and use of space paid off and treats visitors to something that feels more "experience" than "exhibit". While not necessarily or technically interactive, it feels very much so.
The Showroom, The World's First Public Relations Gallery is a concept developed by Cory Allen, who wanted to blend the mechanics of Public Relations and the traditional characteristics of a Fine Arts gallery into an installation that mirrors the internet.
Spathe runs through Saturday, July 11, 2015. A closing reception will be held on that day 5-9pm.
