Sweetest Taboo: Candy for the Eyes

A few weeks ago Seattlest mentioned the incredibly lackluster Scion:Installation exhibit at Roq La Rue. While the potential was high, the showing failed to resonate on an artistic level. Standing in stark contrast to that show is Roq La Rue's latest offering, "Sweetest Taboo." It hits the notes that Installation failed to, and provides an opportunity to see work from fifteen up-and-coming artists.

Curated with Cut Kulture's Damian Hayes, "Sweetest Taboo" is a celebration of things that are loved despite society's views. That loose theme allows for a variety of styles and moods among the collected works, ranging from the subdued, understated works of Nhon Nguyen (showing off various skate spots) to the highly colorful (in both work and idea) pieces of Jason Sho Green, an off-and-on Seattlite most known in Internet circles for his collections of irreverent Valentines. The works mark a marriage of Roq La Rue's pop surrealism bread and butter and more urban, graffiti-inspired styles.

That pairing will be seeing further fruition in the coming weeks as Roq La Rue's Kirsten Anderson and Damian Hayes have also teamed up to create a new gallery space. BLVD Gallery (also to be located in Belltown) will dedicate itself to the underground urban art scene, and like Roq La Rue qill feature a mix of local and international talent. It's all relatively hush-hush at the moment, but rest assured that Seattlest will be there with the details as they're released.

Sweetest Taboo: A Group Show of Random Naughtiness
Roq La Rue Gallery, 2312 2nd Ave
Through March 4th