GPAC to host exhibit of comic artists

“Parallel Mutation” opens during January 20 Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District

Pittsburgh, PA - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council continues its Art on the Walls exhibition program, designed to showcase local and regional talent on office walls, with an exhibit in their own 7th Floor Big Room, located in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District at 810 Penn Avenue. Parallel Mutation, curated by comic artist Juan José Fernández, features original art, publications, and related ephemera by 12 comics makers: Asia Bae, Caitlin Rose Boyle, Em DeMarco, Phil Dokes, Juan Fernandez, Jenn Lisa, Rachel Masilamani, Sam Ombiri, Jayla Patton, Nat Sampson, Mont Tucker, Camden Yandel. An opening reception free and open to the public will be on Friday, January 20 from 5:30 - 10pm as part of the popular Cultural District Gallery Crawl. The reception includes a pop-up book fair with comics, zines, prints and original art by each artist, available for purchase.

Exhibition curator Juan Jose Fernandez said, “This particular community of artists and makers is creating comics in a radically idiosyncratic way that simply demands to be seen.” Parallel Mutation showcases 3 – 4 works of art by each artist, capturing the inescapable mutation of ideas along the creative process of making comics publications. As part of the Pittsburgh Independent Comics Expo, Parallel Mutation includes a day of free workshops in the exhibition space on Sunday, April 9, 2017 from 11am – 5pm, taught by teaching artists from the Comics Workbook Rowhouse Residency, in collaboration with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, the Toonseum, and Copacetic Comics.

About Juan José Fernández: Juan José Fernández is a visual artist and self proclaimed “comics community organizer”, most recently named as one of “Pittsburgh’s Creative Forces: 12 People to Meet in 2017” in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and one of seven 2016 Fuerza awardees by Café Con Leche for providing Pittsburgh Latinx leadership. A native of Venezuela, Mr. Fernández resides in Pittsburgh where he co-organizes the annual Pittsburgh Zine Fair, leads the Pittsburgh Comics Salon, and provides educational outreach for the Comics Workbook Workshop Residency in Swissvale. He currently works at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.