This month’s Featured Artist is MJ King, a local artist who’s studio space and creative storefront, Art & Objects, has been flying under the radar at 179 Stanton St. since 2005. MJ says the storefront is open at odd hours and by appointment only as she takes time to create her work privately and then opens the studio/gallery space to show off the results. Her studio is now back open during holiday hours: Wednesday – Friday, 5pm-8pm, and Saturday – Sunday, 1pm – 5 pm. (Other hours by appointment). I recently stopped by to take a look at her current work.
MJ says much of her recent work has been inspired by exotic cultural rituals and embellished ceremonial objects. “Over the past 10 years I have traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and Africa. Each time I return to NYC from a trip abroad I anticipate the impact it will have on my painting, sculpture and jewelry design.”
“I have a passion for exploring decorative surface treatments using materials such as flake or powdered minerals and pigments. I re-purpose otherwise discarded objects such as animal skulls and shredded boxes, along with base metal and dry nature for use in my art, decorative objects and jewelry design.”
She says her work has “decorative and formal qualities and each discipline tends to inform the other in a cyclical process”.
