Contracommon is proud to present At The Hour, an exhibition of works by Forrest Aderholt and El Gonzalez, running from March 4 to April 3, 2023. A reception, free and open to the public, will be held at Contracommon on Saturday, March 4 from 6-9pm.

In At The Hour, Aderholt and Gonzalez use experiences from their upbringings to investigate how “our indoctrination into massive power structures,” as Aderholt puts it, is rooted in the home and other formative private spaces. Both revisit memories from the past that intertwine with imbalances of power and trauma. Gonzalez does this through material and metaphor, while Aderholt directly repurposes familiar imagery from pop culture, capitalist messaging, biblical allegory, and myth. From two different points of view, these artists are exploring how complex social structures impact us all on a personal level and how the domestic sphere reinforces the sociopolitical. 

Forrest Aderholt is an Austin based painter and textile artist, as well as a Contracommon member. Born in 1993 in Dallas, Texas he obtained a BFA from Southwestern University in 2016. Aderholt’s work often incorporates textiles and painting together. His mix of personal narrative with mythology often questions how individuals are situated in larger political structures such as religion and capitalism.  

Elena (El) Gonzalez was born in 1995 and raised in Seguin, Texas. They graduated with a BFA from Southwestern University in 2018. They have participated in Currents Undergraduate Residency at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Summer Studio Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Through their work, El explores the construct of Home, and how it reveals itself through our bodies, dwellings, and familiar landscapes. El lives and works as a carpenter in Denver, CO.

The opening reception for this show will take place on Saturday, March 4 from 6-9pm, and will feature refreshments, talks from both artists on exhibit, as well as a live performance from a local band. PƎTS is an upcoming post-punk band in Austin, and will be performing a short set in the gallery during the reception starting at 7:30pm.

At The Hour will be on view in the Contracommon gallery from March 4 - April 3. The gallery is open to the public from 12-6 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with private weekday viewing appointments available at calendly.com/contracommon.

For inquiries, information, or to make a donation, email contact@contracommon.org.