Launching tonight at the Visual Voice Art Gallery is the exhibition Lost and Found featuring work by Rob Bos and Mike Patten.

Patten creates elegant visual puns which catch you unawares. His modified “Exit” sign, for example, gets an existentialist twist by simply adding an “s”. It takes most people a few moments to catch on. I also love the two black doors which are perforated with tiny holes. There’s a light source inside the doors, turning them into a night sky as the light twinkles through. I guess the universe is flat.
Bos’ work harmonizes nicely with Patten’s; both artists share the same subtle humour. Bos created a series of small “word paintings” which he then installed in various locales all over the city and photographed. The words and short phrases of the paintings create a tension with their immediate environment, sometimes making a comment, sometimes creating a paradox.

Visual Voice Art Gallery
space 421
Rob Bos & Mike Patten
Lost and Found
exhibition period: August 14 – 23, 2008
www.visualvoicegallery.com