Exhibition Review of THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS: collage and works on paper by Marvin Astorga

At No Coast Collective yesterday evening, young Chicago residents gathered on a Pilsen corner to experience the vivaciously unique aesthetic world of Marvin Astorga's glossy magazine page collages and witty small scale illustrations. Astorga's smart combinations and master of scale provide endless opportunities to investigate all of small corners of his constructions, which vary in size and intricacy. The large scale installation work that covered the entirety of one of the main gallery walls was consistently occupied by viewers getting lost in its simultaneous intensity and soothing symmetry. When asked about how the artist was able to accomplish the astoundingly precise balance while still compiling hundreds of different images into the complex constructions, he commented, "I just sort of have an eye for leveling things--like hanging up pictures etc." In learning that the large wall collage was constructed free-hand, it becomes all the more impressive.
There is no question that what can be said to most easily characterize Astorga's pieces on view is a sharp wit towards the practice of juxtaposition and a painstakingly precise eye for aesthetics. While his more intricate and complex pieces can occupy the viewer for a long time while he/she attempts to navigate its depths, the more simple juxtaposition pieces also possess a biting creativity and attitude. Among my favorite pieces in the show was "Stars and Stripes", a re-presentation of the flag using pic-nic tablecloth print and a view of outer-space. The high quality printing of the images made the colors vibrant and the wit of the piece all the more striking.
Astorga also commented on the camera's inability to capture the intricacy of the pieces, a problem I myself was having while trying to document the show. He believes it to largely be an issue of scale and color that the cameras just can't record correctly. The photographs posted here certainly don't do the artwork justice. All the more reason to go check out his show for yourself. It will be up at No Coast through May 7th, with a closing reception and performance from 5-7.