Into the Abyss

We're completely biased, of course, but there is no genre of music that inspires artists to plumb the depths that heavy metal does. The violence and mythology of the music requires a visual aesthetic that matches it skull for skull, demon for demon. All the Colors of the Dark, the inaugural show at Awful Nice Studios (4066 Juniata Street; www.awfulniceart.com), celebrates the grimness with a selection of work by Arik Moonhawk Roper (he's done album covers for Sleep, High on Fire and that amazing book on mushrooms), Justin Bartlett (who has created graphics for the mighty Southern Lord label) and Coby Ellison (you've seen his work at Snowflake and Mad Art). For this exhibit, all of the pieces will be stripped of band-required text and logos, focusing instead on the images. Prints and posters will most definitely be available for purchase, allowing you to bring a little something cult home with you. All the Colors of the Dark opens with a free public reception from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 18, at Awful Nice Studios. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 19, and after that hours are by appointment only through Thursday, March 31.
March 18-19; Thu., March 31, 2011