Josh Mannis, Obsessed By Cruelty (video still)

On Thursday, Chicago artist Josh Mannis, who had the best work in small A project's inaugeral show, will be on hand for the opening of Iron Eagle, a solo exhibition featuring new video and large, gloriously Bavarian photo collages. "Mannis' videos and photo montages are populated by characterizations and dramatizations drawn from the canons of science fiction, PBS, drug culture, National Geographic, cultism, astronomy, soft-core pornography, the evil mysticisms of rock and roll and of course, Modernism."

Opening Reception • Thursday, February 16 • 6 to 9 p
Small A Projects • 1430 SE Third Ave • Tel 503.234.7993

I'm looking forward to this because of all these cults; science fiction, PBS, drug culture, National Geographic, astronomy, soft-core pornography, the evil mysticisms of rock.... Modernism is somehow the most scandalous and heretical behavior.

In 5 years I can see freinds of mine in suburbia trying to raise their teenagers all bewildered, "where did we go wrong, we never thought our son/daughter would become... one of those modernists... [s h u d d e r]!"

All I have seen of Mannis' work yet is the images on Small A's website, but I must say they look beautiful. These are some of the best looking collage pieces I have seen in quite some time. They seem tender and loving, and almost naive. I am anxious to see them in person.