PRESS CLIPPINGS

These Days - KPBS San Diego Listen Now (May 2006)
These Days guest host Alison St. John talks with San Diego Union-Tribune Assistant Arts Editor David Coddon about the best bets for the weekend.

Platinum Awards: Best Art Gallery - VOICE 1156, 944 San Diego (January 2006)
"If you are looking for a new, racy twist on the arts, Voice 1156 is the place to satisfy your visual thirst. This Downtown San Diego art gallery provides space for artists to congregate and collaborate in a diverse environment. Featured artists change monthly, and the gallery has everything from painting to sculpture to photographs from contributors who truly believe in expanding the San Diego Arts community. Founder and Creative Director Monica Hoover thinks of it as a place to "practice creative activism." Due to the gallery's assortment of artists and collaborations, Voice 1156 is often considered controversial; yet 944 readers consider it to be among the city's best. Visit the gallery's Web site at www.voice1156.com for upcoming events and new collections, as checking out this unique downtown space is a great way to spend an afternoon."

Platinum Awards: Best Photographer - Monica Hoover, 944 San Diego (January 2006)
"If you are looking for a photographer with a conscience, your best choice in San Diego is Monica Hoover. Very rarely does one person's personal expression and beliefs, have such a large effect on their community as Hoover's has. Founder of San Diego's Voice 1156, Hoover is a freelance fashion and lifestyle photographer as well as an animal rights activist. Her artwork is a reflection of her concern for current social conditions and ethical values. The photographs question mortality reflecting her sensibilities. Hoover's intention and vision is to "educate through my artwork... to raise consciousness." Hoover possesses a rare talent; she is a professional who not only does art for art's sake, but she also creates inspiring and thought-provoking pieces. You will be in awe of of each photograph's beauty and message."

Giant vs. Giant, Wooster Collective: A Celebration of Street Art (December 2004)
"Mike Maxwell, the curator at VOICE 1156 Gallery... has put together a show called "GIANT vs GIANT" in which new work by both Shepard Fairey and Mike Giant will be featured. He tells us - 'I know a lot of people have confused the two of them for years and I thought it would be great to have them show together and remove any doubt...'" Read more.

Art Voice: Monica Hoover and her Voice 1156 gallery want to shake up the downtown art scene, by Kelly Davis, San Diego Citybeat (January 2005)
"Monica Hoover and her staff at downtown’s Voice 1156 gallery weren’t expecting the crowd that turned up for the opening night of Giant vs. Giant on Jan. 7. After the mid-size gallery filled to capacity, they were forced to handle things in fire-code fashion: 10 people out, 10 people in..." Read more.

A Pop Culture Giant, by AnnaMaria Stephens, SignOnSanDiego.com (January 2005)
"The face of late World Wrestling champ Andre the Giant, simplified by stencil to a strong graphic image, started as a joke and quickly turned into what Fairey calls 'an experiment in phenomenology.' With the help of an eager posse who took his image and spread it, Fairey shook up the way people think about art and public space..." Read more.

Matters of the Spirit, by Robert L. Pincus, San Diego Union-Tribune (January 2005)
"Fairey trades in the ambiguity of Obey images, in some cases, for forthright portraiture of people he admires, from Martin Luther King Jr. to punk musician Joe Strummer to innovative linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky. These images reveal that the allure of Fairey's pictures is based as much on an innovative eye for design as the witty political ambiguities of his iconic Andre..." Read more.

Gallery opens door to progressive voices, by Jennifer Chung, San Diego Daily Transcript (February 2005)
"The Voice 1156 Gallery downtown has a name apropos to its undertaking. The newish gallery space-cum- artists' studio is focused on bringing fresh voices to the San Diego art scene..." Read more. (subscription required)

Visions of Clarity, by Robert L. Pincus, San Diego Union-Tribune (July 2005)
"The high point of Rey Gregorio's show is "Untitled #3," a spaceship sculpture in cardboard and cheap plastic discards. Its subtitle declares its function: 'George Lucas Pinata.' The title is both satirical and literal; Gregorio may ultimately let some children take swats at it..." Read more.

Going to Town, by Claire Caraska, Voice of San Diego (September 2005)
"Andre's blank stare, accompanied with the word 'Obey,' has since taken on a life of its own, popping up all over cities around the globe, not just in sticker form, but also as huge posters pasted on building walls and billboards (and in more commercial forms as T-shirts, posters and skateboards)..." Read more.

On the Throne: Mike Maxwell interview (April 2005)
"I like Mike's work because it reminds me of artists I grew up with. He paints things that are tangible: old men, sad women, stars, dotted halos, and rays of what? knowledge? insight? Who knows. It doesn't really matter..." Read more.

Information about VOICE 1156 can also be found on:
http://www.sandiegoartist.com/galleries.htm
http://www.obeygiant.com