Josh Yunger, June 1996

For Immediate Release:

21 June, 1996:

Main Street Museum Again. Gathering our Forces—Carrying on Just as Ever—Leading the Pack—Right in Front of the Procession, Making Music for Others to March By!

Have any of you considered recently how lucky we are to have a bit of Chicago in our midst for the coming months! Or perhaps you haven’t heard the News...we are never shy about letting you “In” on secrets.

From the 21 June, to the first week of September, Nineteen Ninety-Six, Opening Reception: 23d June.

THEMAINtSTREETtMUSEUMofArT White River Junction, is proud to present the Oil Paintings of

Mr. Josh Yunger

Perhaps you will recognize Mr. Yunger’s work from the exhibitions of the ava Art Center and Gallery in Lebanon, New Hampshire, from the windows of the ArtPublicProject in our own fair City, or from various “vernisage” at the Art Institute of (the artist’s adopted city of) Chicago. In any event, we are fortunate indeed because our artist is both extraordinarily talented and energetic—producing Picture after Picture in succession. Such a combination is rare in Geniuses of any sort, but is particularly noteworthy in Visual Artists, Painters and the like, who are habitually slothful, given to drinking of beer and sitting about in Grungy, Dirty, Little Espresso Bars arguing about Form vs. Content and other such weighty polemics, until they loose consciousness, either from overindulgence or from lack of oxygen.

We can thank our lucky stars that Mr. Yunger is not one of these. In fact, he has not been spoiled one bit by school, and his education continues as he spends his summer here in Vermont, contributing to local art exhibitions, construction and art studio renovation projects, and rocking away on his electric guitar, an instrument with which he has a special, almost unhealthy, relationship. He is presently the guitarist for the Chicago based improv band Pex Rolivan. His favorite snack food is Andy Capps Cheddar Fries.™ His favorite breakfast cereal is Jewel Brand Fruit ‘n Frosted Os.™

Our young artist was a prodigy, being discovered painting his heart out when but a lad of ten years old by local art mentor Clifford West. Mr. West is a highly respected teacher of the Art of Painting and a painter of certain attainment in his own right; and the bond between him and Josh dates from the time Mr. Yunger was but a lad. Altho this is not a proportionally lengthy period for Mr. West; for our artist/protagonist it represents almost one half of his life. The relationship between the two painters was immediate, and benefits both artists in a very profound way to the present day. They consider each other not only Teacher and Student but Colleague and Friend.

Mr. West, always able to spot talent when he sees it, alerted the proper authorities, and young Yungers life has not been the same since. Gallery dealers in a large anonymous city put our hero to work instantly, churning out Abstract Expressionist pictures for the delight of a callous and superficial Collector/Connoisseur crowd and a tidy ransom of Kings Gold was reaped from his “Levees.” Rescued at last from this type of exploitation, he at last found happiness dividing his time between Chicago and the Upper Valley, and is still attending to a course of study with Mr. West.

During the usual course of the year our hero can be found: living in a four person art colony on Marshfield Ave. in Chicago, interned with the Blue Box Studio and Sean Culver, a trompe l’oeil, film maker, box maker and muralist of the Windy City.

Walking back and forth from the studio and the Addison L stop gives our young protagonist plenty of time to think. Wind, snow, and other inclement weather are but stimulus for our boy. He has produced 6 images of lithographs, some of which are in editions of 30 and 60 or more to add to his already prodigious output of Oil Paintings. We are lucky enough to have many of these on sale at The Museum for the duration, some of these lithos are very reasonably priced and make attractive gifts.

Secondarily, have any of you given any thought to how lucky we are to have White River Jct. in our midst? Many of you may have given thought to this matter recently; and we think that you probably didnt think “lucky” should be the word used; but increasingly, in our Mall-culture, franchise driven, world, places like Our Town are getting increasingly hard to find. Property owners seem to expect their commercial buildings to Do something; and in White river they seem to just Sit There like they always have. This leaves us open for quirky little stores, used book sellers, produce stands, salvage companies and the like to flourish. We have a fine old Hotel in our midst, large and friendly as an dearly loved Vermont Grandmother. Why not come down to White River today and see the Vermont of the past and of the future all wrapped up into one, slightly unsavory package? Remember...Josh Yunger, at the

THEMAINtSTREETtMUSEUMofArT

From the 21 June, to the first week of September, Nineteen Ninety-Six, Opening Reception: 23d June. 802.296.7955

—David Fairbanks Ford, Prop.