Mrs. Tependris: The Quarantine Continues

Konstantin Kakanias | Mrs. Tependris: The Quarantine Continues 
GAVLAK Palm Beach
September 16 – October 10, 2020
To enter the online viewing room: click here.
 

GAVLAK Palm Beach is pleased to announce Mrs. Tependris: The Quarantine Continues, a solo exhibition of works on paper and  ceramics by Los Angeles-based artist Konstantin Kakanias. This is the artist’s third solo presentation with Gavlak and the first at our Palm Beach location.

Kakanias began creating The Quarantine Diaries at the onset of lockdown, authoring humorous captions from the cleverly critical perspective of his iconic character, Mrs. Tependris. First exhibited at Gavlak Los Angeles as The Quarantine Diaries, the Palm Beach exhibition will feature the continued (?) series with new work featuring the iconic Mrs. Tependris. The series of social media posts, animations, and gouache works on paper offer a perspective on our present times; navigating through what should be by now a post-quarantine world. Today’s reality is quite different from the mental imagery we once had, the one of reclaimed carefree and mask-free days. We are de facto stuck within the gloomy days of the ‘new normal.’ While collectively heading towards an uncertain future, Mrs. Tependris inspires us to “travel with the mind.”

Also on view will be a small selection of works on paper from the artist’s first solo exhibition with Gavlak, pieces that have been seen within the 1990s printed or digitally published pages of T Magazine: The New York Times Style Magazine. Kakanias created over 400 drawings during his five year period with T Magazine. All works are gouache on paper, and each drawing was always physically sent to the publisher from wherever Kakanias happened to be in the world, pre-pandemic era.

In addition to the works on paper, a full ceramic dinner set, created by Kakanias will be displayed in the gallery. The dinner setting will feature ceramic plates, bowls, and platters with Kakanias’ signature style.  Decorative patterns, architectural motifs, and street maps are central to the design of each piece.  Although not specific to the Quarantine Series, this dinner setting speaks to the lost social camaraderie that most everyone has experienced during this period of isolation and missed connections.

Konstantin Kakanias is known for his whimsical pieces observing the decadent worlds of art, design, travel, and luxury. Through Kakanias’ playful brush and bright color palette, the accumulation of these gouache works on paper and the subject matter ranging from the extraordinary to the banal provide the viewer with a certain view of life.