Mining In The Age Of

AMPHI is pleased to announce its inaugural exhibition, “Mining In The Age Of”. Curated by Alan Chin and Lu Chen, the exhibition brings together 13 contemporary artists presenting works in painting, sculpture, fiber, assemblage, and mixed-media installation. Through diverse artistic approaches, the exhibition explores humanity’s relationship with mining and extraction, examining its impact on the environment, culture, and illuminating the delicate balance between what we take from the Earth and what we create in return.

From the dawn of civilization to the California Gold Rush and today’s relentless pursuit of earth's resources, extraction has shaped landscapes, economies, and identities. As Jim Melchert says, when you drop a tile and it breaks, there's a shock that shoots through and follows the path of least resistance which suggests something alive. The artists in this exhibition mine the vitality that emerges from these cracks formed by the extraction of natural resources, the distribution of social capital, the acceleration of technology, the pressures of cultural assimilation, and the imprints of personal memory. Through alchemically transforming material into profound visual and conceptual statements.

This exhibition highlights California’s influence as a global cultural hub, shaped by its history and ever-evolving landscape. Honoring the contemporary renaissance of California’s art scene, it celebrates California as a vibrant space of artistic optimism, self-expression, and possibility.

 

Artists in the exhibition:

Carlotta Guerra

Mik Gaspay

Tom Franco

Cara Levine

Keith Magruder

Alex McAdoo

Higinio Martinez

Erick Medel

Jim Melchert

Raymond Saunders

Linnéa Spransy

John Toki

Griff Williams

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Courtesy of the Gallery 16, San Francisco and Jim Melchert Estate

Courtesy of Charlie James Gallery

Special thanks to DAMU ARTS