Opening Reception: Saturday, April 1, 2023, 6–8 PM

“Throughout my teens and early twenties, I aspired to be a performing rock musician. Day on the Green at the Oakland Coliseum in 1992 was one of the most important experiences of my adolescence. There, I saw a wide spectrum of humanity and the physical limits of what the human body can endure and accomplish. Body Count was the opening act. Standing at the edge of one of the mosh pits while they performed, I witnessed several brutal acts. I hope I never again see so much blood and teeth flying between myself and a stranger. This was before smartphones and GPS, but my friends and I miraculously found each other in the upper deck of the Coliseum during Guns N Roses’ set, nearly six hours later. The outfield grass was torn out and thrown, flying past lighters held high as GNR played November Rain. The spirit of the concert was ruthless, unhinged, and lawless while simultaneously survivalist and romantic––the spectrum I witnessed is something I aspire to when making paintings.” ––Trevor Shimizu, 2023