John Kochansky – Afterthoughts. McKay Gallery

MCKAY IMAGING STUDIO & GALLERY June-July 2011 Special Exhibit McKay Imaging announces another “Breaking Away” exhibit, our first exhibit of 2011! “Afterthoughts”, Drawings and such by: John Kochansky (1958 -2005) Curated by his daughter, Karly Kochansky Opening Reception: Friday, June 17, 2011 7 – 10PM The show will run from June 17th thru July 7th, 2011. Gallery hours are Wed. and Thu., 1PM–7PM, or by appointment McKay Imaging Photography Studio and Gallery 12 Monmouth Street, second floor Red Bank, NJ 07701 732.842.2272 www.mckayimaging.com “I make art because I have to!” – JK “4:49AM” by John Kochansky GALLERY STATEMENT On July 14th, 2005 McKay Imaging Gallery officially opened it’s doors to the public with it’s first exhibition. “‘Found, Not Lost’ works by John Kochansky”. This exhibition, one of our most successful to date, marked not only the beginning of an era for us but also the rekindling of a friendship between John and Liz & I. I had known John since high school and always knew him as the most prolific artist that I had ever met. I hadn’t seen him for almost 10 years when, realizing that Liz and I had opened a gallery, John reappeared in our lives. Liz and I were busy fixing up the gallery and wondering which artist our first gallery show would feature, when John started hinting that he would like to show us his work. I explained to John that this was a “Photo” gallery and that his work just didn’t fit into the format. The next day, John, who apparently had left no medium untouched, arrived with a series of gorgeous vintage photographic portraits that he had collected from thrift shops and antique stores, had treated with bleaches, dyes and organic materials having therefore made them his own in classic Kochansky style. They were so beautiful that we quickly rationalized showing them by saying, “Well, they are photographs.” Anyone who saw that show will not soon forget the eclectic collection of found objects that John had crafted into thought provoking works of art. In October of 2005, we lost John forever, suddenly and shockingly. His death, as with any important artist, left an empty hole in the local art world that can never again be filled. Just as importantly, it has galvanized John’s family and friends in an effort to show the more than 1000 pieces that the artist left behind. It was decided as well, that John’s work would be photographed, archived and released for sale to the public. A bank account was also to be set up, “The Karly Kochansky Scholarship Fund”, and the proceeds of all sales would go towards sending John’s daughter, Karly, to college. The first show took place at John’s favorite local gallery, Gallery 31 in Freehold and was a great success with most pieces being sold. Soon afterwards came an exhibit right here at McKay Imaging Gallery offering the second posthumous installation of John’s work, a collection of vibrant drawings, paintings and sculpture that highlighted Kochansky’s audacious artistic spirit and bizarre sense of humor. Now this third showing; also a fundraiser for John’s daughter; has been curated from her fathers vast legacy of work by Karly herself. Please attend this exhibit with your imagination loosely strapped in place and/or a desire to fill those empty spaces on your walls with bright, colorful smatterings of humor & cheer, firmly in place! All proceeds from sales and auctions directly benefit the Karly Kochansky Scholarship Fund… Entry, as always is FREE…]]>