A brief history of contemporary art would be littered with artists who began their careers with a can of spray paint or a bucket chalk and now command top dollar in galleries (like Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Banksy). In the grand tradition of moving art from the walls outside to the blank interior walls of a gallery, Sandler Hudson Gallery is welcoming renowned public artist HENSE to their space tonight, Friday, April 8, to present Mark Making in Black & White.

Atlanta based visual artist HENSE will be bringing his fluid, abstract, urban decay inspired work to Sandler Hudson tonight with the exhibit, Mark Making in Black & White. While HENSE made a name for himself in the ’90s by leaving his mark, and moniker, almost everywhere in the city, do not expect the walls at Sandler Hudson to be covered with street art. Instead, look for free form paintings that are an explosion of abstract shapes and lines influenced by the industrial urban spaces that HENSE began his career more than 20 years ago.

Joining HENSE in this exploration of mark making in a restrictive palette are Dixie Purvis and Brett Smith, two Atlanta-based visual artists who imbue simple lines and dots with powerful emotions and a life of their own.

Mark Making in Black & White opens to tonight, April 8, 2011, at Sandler Hudson Gallery from 7 – 9 p.m. and will be on display until May 14, 2011. Sandler Hudson gallery is located at 1009-A Marietta St NW.

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