“Youth Parade”

Opening Reception Saturday, January 16, 2010 from 7‑10pm
On View January 16 – February 6, 2010

Corey Helford Gallery’s first show of 2010 : “Youth Parade”, the new work by New York-based artist Michael Mararian. “Youth Parade” challenges audiences, in both concept and context, with its controversial imagery and dark subject matter. Mararian is known for transforming traditionally cheerful images and concepts into frightening, yet humorous, narratives. Often focusing on children as the last bastion of innocence, his work explores the dark humor behind every-day social and psychological issues. For “Youth Parade”, Mararian’s second show at the gallery this new collection pushes new boundaries, describing the exhibition as “a wry examination of the societal and familial pressures put on the children of today”. The artist skillfully captures a broad spectrum of childhood pressures from the media’s over exposure of violent imagery and the idolization of celebrities to the sexualization of childhood and the corporate branding of American youth.

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