New paintings and sculptures at Gallery 16

From the desk of Daniel Handler:

Plenty of gallery exhibitions have been described as important or even crucial. But this month marks the opening of an exhibit that is mandatory. Everybody has to see it. Gallery 16 will welcome people of all ages, genders, cultures, and heights for a required viewing of Tucker Nichols's new artwork.

"It is not optional," says artist and gallery founder Griff Williams, whose statements have not been verified for this press release. "Everybody absolutely has to come here and see this stuff."

"Every artist can't help but have the idea of an audience influencing--some would say overshadowing--their creative process," says Nichols, who has had work featured at SF MOMA, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and other optional venues. "With a mandatory show, that weight is finally lifted. Cowabunga! Tell them I said absolutely anything--I'm giving you complete creative control for this press release. Fruit salad is delicious."

"Art always asks enormous questions," says art expert and person I made up, Colleen Sandwich, who supported the exhibition's mandate by making a flag. "What can truly be considered art? Who should see it? At last, we have definitive answers: Tucker Nichols's work, and everybody in the whole entire world."

"Frankly, I don't get how this could even happen," says a local small businessman and spoilsport. "Gallery 16 is a dynamic but small gallery, and there are a ton of people. I mean, does everybody in the whole world even know about this show? I bet most people don't. And what if they live far away? Also, if they line up on the sidewalk, they block the entrance to my bike helmet shop, and how am I gonna sell bike helmets if that happens?"

But Williams and Nichols scoff at such complaints. "We'll get some of those velvet ropes or whatever, you know what I mean, that they use outside nightclubs and stuff," Williams says. "Everybody has to go! No excuses!"

"Like, don't tell me you don't know about the show," Nichols said. "It's literally listed online. You have no excuse. The show closes at the end of March. I don't want to hear something like, but I'm supposed to go to a wedding. Bring the bride! This is mandatory."

The show is full of paintings that are super colorful and diverting to look at--flowers and boats, you know, with some more abstract stuff too. Sculpture, also-assemblages you might call them, or just things next to other things, or on top of them, in a way that makes you think "huh??" but also, if you just wait for a second, beautiful and fun. You can do a loop around one of the rooms looking at all of them, and then return to your favorites. Things have been difficult lately--really difficult. This is something else. You don't even need to stare at them very long before your mind slips away from all of the horrendous crap of life. Being afraid, being disgusted or hopeless, becomes something you don't have to do. It's optional. There's joy instead, right in front of you, joy somebody made, and now you're helping make it, real joy. That's the thing. Joy is mandatory.

For more information, contact Griff at 4156267495 or griff@gallery16.com