Mike Reesé: Boyz II Beasts Act I: No Soul Left Behind

Boyz II Beasts Act 1: No Soul Left Behind, originates from artist and author Mike Ressé’s short story series of the same title. Seven years in the making, the hybrid exhibition and book series utilizes the short story as a means of unpacking the mental and metaphysical battles of adolescence. Central to the work that comprises the exhibition and book is the idea that in adolescence some individuals are faced with making intense sacrifices in the face of life’s struggles. The characters roam mental jungles and question and reflect upon their shifting environment illustrating the effects of both internal and external struggles.

Taking the format of a children’s book, the text is a hybrid short story and studio artifact, presenting the first entry in the story series Boyz II Beasts, Act 1: No Soul Left Behind, alongside ephemera, planning notes, and imagery relating to the planning of the titular exhibition at Central Server Works in September 2023. The exhibition brings together an immersive and visual compilation of paintings, installations, and objects that explore interpretations of conflict between the soul vs. ego, color & form, and space & time. Presenting three distinct bodies of work within Central Server Works Downtown LA Gallery: Florals, Faces, and Typography/Watercolors, Ressé presents a fully formed idea where each element adds to the interplay of the thematic story unfolding in the Boyz II Beasts series.