NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – January 7, 2019– Acumen Wine is excited to unveil Status Stratified: Identity Revealed, a joint exhibition by the Japanese Art Collective, ‘three,’ and Bay Area artist Jupp Soetebier at the Acumen Wine Gallery in downtown Napa.
Three is a collective made up of three young artists from Fukushima, Japan. The collective, whose members prefer to stay anonymous, began working as a trio in 2009. While little is known about this acclaimed collective, they take their inspiration from the “kuwaii” (literally “cute”) art of Japanese manga and anime. Their own take on this is to literally transform manga dolls, toys and other childhood ephemera to create provocative installations and sculptures. Action figures and rubber figurines are disassembled and reimagined as complex, geometric works of art that challenge the viewer’s eye to distinguish their many details.
Jupp Soetebier calls his work an examination of “personal archaeology and the genesis of memory, while revealing some of my identity.” His abstract sculpted surfaces expose a complex, multi-layered journey. The layers are composed of wood, fibers, and acrylic paint that are hand-sculpted across a visual plane, melding discovery into tactile and emotive experiences. Jupp was born in the Midwest and moved around the country studying and working on refining his distinct technique.
Jupp Soetebier – ‘Now everything was splendid’
Status Stratified brings together three and Soetebier in a show that examines identity through multi-layered compositions. The exhibition opens to the public Thursday, January 10 at 10 am, with an opening reception on Thursday, January 17 from 5:30 pm-7 pm. There is no cost to view the show, but guests are welcome to experience one of Acumen’s three tasting menus during their visit. For guests who wish to combine the world of art, with great food and wine, the Wine Gallery offers a by-appointment Summit Experience, which features six of Acumen’s acclaimed PEAK and Mountainside wines, paired with locally procured cheese and charcuterie from Fatted Calf. The Acumen Wine Gallery will also be available for private, by-appointment viewings of Status Stratified: Identity Revealed.
ABOUT ACUMEN WINE
The vision for Acumen Wine Gallery is to create an intimate and inviting venue in the heart of wine country where we can share world-class wine and cutting-edge art.
Acumen was founded by Eric Yuan in 2012, with the goal of making the finest estate-grown wines on Atlas Peak. To achieve this goal, Acumen has established an estate vineyard program spanning two vineyards and 116 planted acres on Atlas Peak. Using grapes from these organically certified estate vineyards, Acumen crafts a small portfolio of mountain-grown wines, with a focus on Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. In 2017, Acumen opened the Acumen Wine Gallery, a stylish tasting lounge and contemporary art gallery, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Napa. To learn more, visit www.acumenwine.com.
