Carpe Diem

UTA Artist Space is pleased to present Carpe Diem, a new digital group exhibition curated by film producer, arts patron, and collector Michael Sherman. On view from today, the presentation brings together works by seven young contemporary artists:  Ryan Cosbert, Stephano Espinoza Galarza, Bambou Gili, Bart Hajduk, Charles Mason III, Emmanuel Massillon, and Antonio Scott Nichols. 

Best known for his work in film production, Sherman here assembles a group of young artists he connected with during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition follows a promise Sherman and his wife made last year to double down on supporting artists in the early stages of their careers. From Emmanuel Massillon’s eclectic sculptures influenced by folk art and African history, to Stephano Espinoza’s surreal, painterly scenes of queer love, Carpe Diem celebrates a diverse group of rising talent working with a wide variety of media. 

“I’ve always made films from a curatorial standpoint: What do I want to see and who would I like to work with? During the pandemic, I began thinking about what it would mean for me to curate an art exhibition. I’m very passionate about telling stories and making sure stories are told, so getting together a group of artists whose work—and the stories they tell in their chosen medium—deserves greater recognition seemed a logical extension of my work in film,” says Michael Sherman.

“I have worked with Michael for a number of years and know him to be a committed storyteller. I am beyond excited to provide him with a space to highlight this group of incredible young artists he so believes in,” says Arthur Lewis, UTA Fine Arts and UTA Artist Space Creative Director.