Preview: The 10th Annual Moleskine Project @ Mesa Arts Museum [Mesa, AZ]

Back in 2011, Ken Harman‘s Spoke Art acquired a permanent gallery space of its own in San Francisco. For the inaugural exhibit at the new brick-and-mortar, they would showcase the work of Sydney, Australia artist, Rodrigo Luff for the first time, establishing a connection that would only strengthen and lead to further collaborations in the future. Luff‘s debut with Spoke Art was titled “The Moleskine Project” and was described as “a culmination of miniature oil paintings, sketches, studies, doodles and notes,” […] “providing an insightful and intimate look into the evolution and progression of an emerging contemporary artist.” Expanding on the idea, Spoke Art would tap Luff to co-curate a sequel the following year, transforming it into a group show that welcomed viewers into the process behind dozens of artists from across the globe. Working in various mediums and aesthetics, the uniting factor of the contributors would be their trusty Moleskine sketchbooks operating as both their canvases and a point of inspiration. When they announced The Moleskin Project VI in 2017, the press release explained the broader intention of the show as being meant to “[allow] viewers and artists alike to peek into the intimate realm of the art making process, each piece [playing] with the balance between refined finality and lingering thoughts yet to be completed.“ At the time, Luff elaborated as follows:

“Within each framed double page lies a rare glimpse into the sketchbook practice that unites all of these artists. This exhibition is a tribute to how they have developed and grown as artists by using sketchbooks to dive deeper into the personal realms that fuel their artwork, exploring new ideas, concepts and even experimenting with different media and styles. An energetic visual dialogue of imagery flows from frame to frame, forming a collective sketchbook that allows us to appreciate the radically individual approach taken by each artist.

The inclusion of many new artists helps to expand and evolve the exhibition into the future, adding variety to the returning artists of the past. It is my hope that this group of passionate, dedicated and skilled artists can both inspire and surprise us by transcending our expectations of what can be achieved within the confines of the ubiquitous sketchbook.”

When The Moleskin Project IX came about in February of 2020, the roster of contributing artists had grown to over 100. That year, the show was held in Honolulu in collaboration with the annual Pow! Wow! Hawai’i festivities that, in contrast, showcase large-scale artworks and murals across the island’s state capital during its week-long celebration. Less than a month later, the country would go into lockdown. Now, after 2 1/2 years, the Moleskine Project returns with its 10th annual installment, which will be held this Friday, September 9th at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa Arizona. As usual, participating artists will include new exciting contributors intermingled with project regulars, some of which have been around since the very first installment.

List Of Featured artists:

Check out preview images for the exhibit below the following event details…

WHAT:

“The 10th Annual Moleskine Project”

WHEN:

Opening:
Friday, September 9th, 2022
6pm-10pm

WHERE:

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
1 East Main Street
Mesa, AZ 85201

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Opening is ALL AGES w/NO COVER
Artists in attendance
Musical entertainment by DJ Pickster
Show on view until Sunday, December 4th, 2022
Event page: https://www.mesaartscenter.com/index.php/museum/art/exhibits/the-moleskine-project