It’s install week yet again at Shooting Gallery, and this week we’re getting ready for American Iconomics, a dual exhibition of works by artists Akira Beard and James Charles. The guys have been busy painting, hanging, and prepping the space…as we get closer and closer to this Saturday night’s opening!

The work of Beard and Charles is hugely different, stylistically, and the result is a striking balance that compliments one another in a surprising way. Charles’ precise detail-heavy work is really brought to life through its juxtaposition with Akira Beard’s colorful washes and dripping paint. The difference in artistic approach finds commonality within the shared exploration of two pillars of popular culture: the American Icon and our society’s obsession with money. Both artists’ work questions what constitutes actual value. Is value an attribute that is determined based on monetary worth, societal recognition, or personal opinion – and just how definitive is it?  Watching both Charles and Beard unveil their work and arrange it during this week of installation has made me very confident in saying that American Iconomics (opening tomorrow night at the Shooting Gallery, 7-11pm) will be an incredible show!

More Photos After the Jump!

See the rest of the install shots on our flickr!