AGI Denim Launches Art Show Around Indigo
Pakistan-based mill AGI Denim’s art gallery arm is celebrating the color indigo through an exhibition that puts a blue-tinted lens on global cities.
“Exquisite Blue Towers” at AGI’s gallery@ space in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood will showcase work by artists Holly E. Brown, Juan Manuel Gomez and Mauricio Arroyave. All of the pieces use towers to visually connect New York, Biella, Italy and Medellín, Colombia—cities with personal meaning.
The artists used a range of techniques, including drawing, painting and printmaking. Bringing in a fashion touch, one of the mediums used by the creators was Officina+39’s sustainable Recycrom dye, which is made by transforming fabric scraps into textile pigments.
One of the through lines in the exhibit was the inspiration of the Surrealist art movement of the early 20th century. Each artist brought their own touch to the tower concept.
Based in Brooklyn, Holly is an artist, printmaker, educator and owner of Clockwork Press. Her work takes inspiration from architecture, and she enjoys printing on both paper and repurposed denim, creating products such as printed denim pillowcases and tote bags.
Juan hails from Medellín and creates paintings in primarily blue hues using tools from a jeans maker. The artist, who is also known as De Ver Azul, previously worked in a denim laundry and is currently creative leader at Officina+39.
Mauricio is also based in Medellín, and is a painter, plastic artist, art director and art designer. His work has included designing multiple denim showrooms.
AGI will host an opening reception for Exquisite Blue Towers on July 21, and the exhibit will open to the public on July 22. The show will run through Aug. 6.
“For this show, three artists who share our deep passion for denim were selected to exhibit,” said Henry Wong, gallery director for Gallery@. “Holly E. Brown, Juan Manuel and Mauricio Arroyave have brought their unique styles into the collaborative statement entitled Exquisite Blue Towers. We are so excited to share this with the world.”
Carved in Blue asked the artists to share their thoughts on the project.
Holly E. Brown:
“The Exquisite Blue Towers project and exhibition reconfirmed the strong need for collaboration and community in a post-pandemic world. When Juan Manuel Gomez approached me over a year ago about forming a trio of artists, I was thrilled! Being an artist can be a very isolating space—even more enhanced during the pandemic—and the idea of working on artworks together again was very exhilarating to me.
“Juan and I had worked together in 2018 on a body of collaborative artwork created with Officina+39 and Tonello for Denim Days in NYC. But this time would be unique by adding a third artist, Mauricio Arroyave from Colombia to the group. All with very different styles and media, I knew the work would be both invigorating and challenging. The collaborative results you will see in our exhibition, Exquisite Blue Towers, travelled between Italy, Colombia and New York during their inception and creation, allowing each of our hands to make a mark in a wide variety of media. This type of collaboration requires both trust and risk-taking to be successful. Akin to the work of the Surrealists of the early 20th century, we did not see each other’s marks in advance, which enhanced the spontaneity and allowed the work to evolve truly organically. I believe we all grew stronger as artists and friends during the process. I am incredibly proud of the three pieces we are presenting as a collective.
“When Juan approached Henry Wong, marketing director at AGI, back in April 2022, he was very passionate about bringing AGI’s mission of celebrating the arts to the forefront. It was evident that AGI strongly values building community. Henry’s foresight and the creation of Gallery@AGI is what made this exhibition possible.
“Personally, I felt my artwork aligned very well with the sustainable ethos of a B-Corp like AGI, whose drive for earth-conscious innovation looks to the future. I am truly honored to be a part of Gallery@AGI’s inaugural exhibition. As a group we also look forward to sharing the exhibition in both Italy and Colombia to solidify the importance of Three Artists, Three Cities, and Three Towers.
“As a result of our collaboration, my personal work definitely took on some new twists and turns. I have started to add collage elements to my prints and I’m more willing to take risks and try new methods. Working with two other artists between time zones and countries broadened my perspective on what’s possible. Collaboration has always been at the root of many projects I’ve done over the years, but now I feel it is more essential that ever!”
Mauricio Arroyave:
“The truth is that painting is always a magical encounter. One is available for the three-hand canvas in the case of Exquisite Blue Towers. And anything can happen. The canvas travels from country to country and not only crosses the ocean, it crosses your senses at the moment you see the creation of your friends and you must begin to create a universe that dialogues with all the painting.
“Regarding the invitation by Henry Wong to participate in this meeting, everything motivates me. I love New York, and even one of the Trip-One paintings has to do with a trip I took to New York a couple of years ago. I think it was the first image I wanted to paint of the city. So there was an additional reason to participate, and that was to see a painting within a painting.”