#charactersall

Characters, All July 10 – August 8, 2021

The gallery will be open every Sat & Sun from 1 – 6pm and by appointment

Tiger Strikes Asteroid New York is pleased to present Characters, All, a group exhibition featuring the work of the Boston University MFA Painting Class of 2021.

“The times endured of late have been unique. Shifts in our world have occurred. Rifts have formed—some of which have been healed, some shoddily repaired, and others have only deepened. What may be most dangerous is the dissolution of a stable or reliable sense of reality. Search engines that monopolize our information streams, once alleged to be objective devices, now present us with confirmation biases based on their algorithmic estimations of our beliefs and affinities. Fear-mongering seems to have become indistinguishable from total chaos.

The word ‘unprecedented’ has lost its meaning as we strive to make sense of new types of unravelling and strife. These conditions have been the empirical backdrop for these 16 artists during their graduate studies. Whether addressing them directly or not, each artist has been forced to reckon with these conditions as a fact. Of the world. Of both their lives and their collective experience as a cohort. Some have chosen to face them head on while others have done the opposite and used their practice as a form of escapist resistance. In all capacities, these artists have used the potential of painting as a multivalent tool to respond to a time of great turbulence: its potential to tell stories, its potential to soothe, its potential to imagine the new or re-imagine the old.

It may be said that art has historically acted as one of the most cathartic expressions of cultural panic. Before history books can be written, art is made. It is certainly more poetic than the history it anticipates but perhaps it is actually more descriptive or accurate as well. People are forced to respond—the culture shoots from the hip and there is no time to cover up. Politics and history may accord them varying agendas but in its present art is raw and real. You may not see the forest from the trees but you can build a fire.”

- Davis Arney

Taken Character

Name: Matthew “Matt” Murdock Alias/Codename: Daredevil Age: 36 Years Old Designation: Lawyer Alignment: Street Heroes Species: Biologically Enhanced Human Threat Level: High Facial Match: Charlie Cox

History:

After witnessing his father’s involvement in a crime, Matt Murdock ran from the sight; one of the last he would ever see. A forklift attempting to avoid the fleeing boy pierced a barrel filled with bio-chemicals, spraying it on Matt’s eyes. The accident caused the loss of his sight, however Matt’s other senses heightened - he gained enhanced hearing, more attune senses of smell, taste, and touch. The chemicals also affected his brain, allowing him to retain and process more information than a normal person. His father feeling guilty for his son’s accident, made a promise to Matt to never give up, and Matt made the same promise in return. Matt began to study harder, and his father returned to his career as a boxer until he was killed by gangsters for failing to take a fall during a fight. As nobody cared for his father’s death, Matt vowed to find justice, and stand up for those others wouldn’t.

With his father gone, Matt was contacted by and received training from Stick, a blind ninja master. He was taught several forms of martial arts, which he mixed with the boxing style his father practiced, to create a new style of fighting previously unseen. Whilst Matt had previously trained his senses on his own, it was Stick who taught him to hone them, allowing Matt to use echolocation in order to create a radar, which let his mind create images of his surroundings. This sight also allowed Matt to understand the inner workings of many things much easier, as the tiny sounds each part made could be picked up by his ears and recreated in his mind. Keeping his promise to his father Matt studied law, along with continuing his training from Stick, and eventually finished law school. He started a law firm with his good friend Foggie Nelson, only representing innocent clients, but when justice was not found in the courtroom, that’s when Matt really put his abilities to use. At night he would become Daredevil, and hunt down those that had evaded justice.

Matt met and quickly fell in love with a woman named Elektra Nachios but the romance was short lived. Elektra’s family had connections to the notorious Kingpin, resulting in her death. Matt took out the assassin that killed her, Bullseye, as well as the Kingpin, and made sure they both ended up in jail. Initially, Matt was hopeful about his future role as his alter-ego Daredevil, but soon after Elektra's death, he gave up the life of crime fighting, finding it a risk to the other important people in his life. But now that SHIELD has fallen and more and more bad things have been happening, Matt is considering a return to the shadows as the guardian Devil. In the mean time, Matt was seen at the  Daily Bugle building where records indicate that he’s made a deposit and rented out one of the floors for his Legal Counseling Firm.

In Season One:

Matt gave in to his previous Daredevil persona and as his alter ego, has helped to stop crime in New York City and pursue HYDRA leads in hopes of bringing down the organization and exposing their corruption in the city. 

In Season Two:

Matt continued to violently fight back against HYDRA’s influence in the city, both as vigilante and lawyer. As Daredevil, he fought against the corrupt Police force and sought out Black Widow to find new leads on breaking HYDRA’s strangle hold, while working as Matt Murdock to oppose HYDRA’s anti-mutant message and promote Mutant Rights through the courts.

In Season Four:

After recovering from the injuries he sustained from a sniper's bullet, Matt went back to work both as lawyer & vigilante. A fiery encounter with anti-hero group, the Splat Pack, left Daredevil badly burnt and only the intervention of Elektra Nachios saved his life. Struggling with the return on his ex-lover from the grave, as well as his own growing thirst for revenge, lead Matt to return to his old black costume and team up with The Punisher. As The Devil Of Hell's Kitchen, Matt helped the Avengers and X-Men defend the city against Lazarus and the Revengers, coming to terms with his own desire for revenge at the same time. Unfortunately, the battle left much of Manhattan damaged, including Matt's own apartment which burnt to the ground, leaving him homeless and looking to rebuild his life again. And yet, in the middle of all this, his feelings for the Daily Bugle journalist, Lily Russell, continued to deepen.

Current Status:

Matt Murdock was last seen in New York City amongst his multiple new and previous allies. He has been deemed a credible threat and should not be approached under any circumstances or without proper back-up. 

Personality Assessment: Just, Intelligent, Fearless, Manipulative, Anti-Hero, Overconfident 

Powers and Abilities:

Superhuman senses and enhanced memory.

Excellent athlete, trained in martial arts, acrobatics and gymnastics.

Echolocation radar sense developed from other senses.

Known Associates:

Past romantic partner was Elektra Nachios

As a Street Hero, is aware of various other heroes like him including but not limited to; Jessica Drew, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, and Peter Parker

Has past connections to Nick Fury

Ally of Natasha Romanoff

Romantic interest of Lily Russell. 

Additional Information:

Lives in an apartment in New York City

Primarily operates out of Hell's Kitchen

Open Character

Name: Barbara 'Bobbi' Morse Alias/Codename: Mockingbird Age: 37 Designation: Former Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D Alignment: S.H.I.E.L.D Species: Human Threat Level: Moderate Facial Match: Adrianne Palicki

History: 

Bobbi Morse joined S.H.I.E.L.D when she was a young adult. She rose quickly within the organization, spending time as an asset of Phil Coulson, and during that time, met and had a relationship with Agent Clint Barton. They tried to make it work, but ultimately couldn't keep the relationship going, and they broke it off when she was reassigned for further field work.

During that time, she found herself in several different places, often being assigned to find corruption within the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Over time, she spent less and less of her work time at the Triskelion. While she exposed a few HYDRA operatives, she wasn't able to truly discover the heart of the corruption at S.H.I.E.L.D.

She was off on an assignment during the S.H.I.E.L.D Civil War, and had to pull herself out of the situation when she realized that she'd been compromised, as her Handler has been killed during the battle.

Current Status:

Morse re-entered the United States under a false passport. She was last seen in New York City. She has been labelled a credible threat, and precautions should be taken before engaging her alone.

Personality Assessment: Bold, Clever, Decisive, Vengeful, Manipulative, Stubborn 

Powers and Abilities:

Expert gymnast

Skilled fighter

Skilled spy

Speaks fluent Spanish

Background in biochemistry

Known Associates:

Past and likely future allies with Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Maria Hill, and Nick Fury

Additional Information:

Fights with battle staves

Was Clearance level 6 at the time of the S.H.I.E.L.D Civil War

Open Character: Vincent Stewart | Scientist | Alignment: S.H.I.E.L.D. | Human | 32 Years Old

FC: Benedict Cumberbatch 

Born in a modest home in Sheffield, England, Vincent was always the black sheep. Being the middle child in a group of five other children was tough for Vincent, who often secluded himself in his room, preferring the company of books and microscopes rather than actual humans. His introverted nature only grew over the years causing a major strain between and on his family. It was of little concern to Vincent who was excelling in the path he’d chosen; the path of virology.

After his high school graduation, Vincent left his parents' home and went onto live by himself even though he was surviving with little to spare. His introverted nature soon turned to sheer arrogance as he continued to excel in his field, putting those older than him to shame. He was twenty-nine years of age and working as a researcher in a local university when his published papers caught the attention of a few foreign universities, and it was only a matter of time before the John Hopkins University offered him a chance to pursue his work even further.

After receiving his PhD, Vincent travelled to America where he accepted the job at the prestigious university. Vincent was working on a hypothesis, one that was related to a new virus that he’d occasionally heard whispers of, one that transformed a human being’s physiology and made them perish under the sun. However, his research grant was suddenly pulled as his colleague, using his significant pull on the board, stole Vincent's work and used it to get ahead in the game. The sudden news left Vincent shocked but also virtually penniless as he'd invested everything into his work. He tried looking for other jobs but his arrogant nature often got him fired from them.

Just when Vincent thought there was nothing on the horizon for him, a member of an organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. who claimed to have been monitoring his research approached him. He was offered a position, one that allowed him to work in complete privacy with minimal human contact; it was a hard offer to refuse. Currently, Vincent is working as one of SHIELD’s top scientists, assigned with studying both demonic and vampire viruses.

Character Traits: Intellectual, Philosophical, Energetic, Introverted, Arrogant, Brutally Honest

Skills and Abilities:

Genius level I.Q

Expert knowledge in the field of virology

Increasing knowledge of demonology

Other Important Information:

Works at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Main Headquarters

Open Character: Hiromi Amaya | Lawyer | Alignment: S.H.I.E.L.D. | Human | 28 Years Old

FC: Rinko Kikuchi

Hiromi was born in the city of Kyoto, Japan but moved to New York when she was three years old when her father was offered a job at a prestigious law firm. As an only child, Hiromi loved her parents and even though she was living in a different country, she was fascinated by Japan’s rich and beautiful culture. New York was home to her, but she often made trips to Japan during her teenage years to visit extended family. As she got older, she began to follow in her father’s footsteps, taking an interest in criminal law with the concept of helping the helpless appealing to her.

She didn’t let her father’s success influence her. Paving her own way, she joined a firm right after her graduation. She quickly became known as the ‘Crouching Tiger,’ cool and calm on the surface but when push came to shove, always willing to strike back. It was during her time at her first job that she was offered another, better job by a rival firm known as Wolfram & Hart. Hiromi declined the offer however, knowing of the firm’s loose morals and way of operating. A few months passed and just when Hiromi thought that she’d rid herself of Wolfram & Hart, she found herself defending a case against them.

It was the case itself that caught Hiromi off guard. The client claimed to have witnessed her daughter’s murder at the hands of a 'vampire', a man that Wolfram & Hart was now protecting. Hiromi found herself doubting the woman but still managed to get the jury on her side. On the night before the last day in court, Hiromi returned home to find her father’s lifeless body on the ground and her mother on the brink of death, victims of a vampire attack. Though her mother recovered eventually, and Hiromi won the case, she lost a parent, a loss that she never recovered from.

She was convinced of Wolfram & Hart’s involvement with her father’s murder and set out to prove her case against them. Endless hours of research against them proved futile and just when she was on the verge of giving up, a colleague and friend of hers, Matt Murdock, referred her to an organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. knowing that she would find some sort of answers there. She offered her services to the organization in exchange for a way to bring down the law firm and now serves as a legal aid, getting their agents out of tight binds as well aiding them in criminal prosecution cases.

Character Traits: Respecting, Brave, Diplomatic, Troubled, Evasive, Vengeful

Strengths and Abilities:

Exceptional knowledge of the law

Multilingual

Expert in Martial Arts as well as sword fighting

Skilled in social politics and interoffice relations

Vast supernatural knowledge – literary and working

Other Important Information:

Friends with lawyer, Matt Murdock but is unaware of his alter-ego

Works at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Main Headquarters

Open Character: Eric Barrow | Human | Training Simulator Assistant | Alignment: S.H.I.E.L.D. | 19 Years Old

FC: Tyler Posey 

Born to a lower-middle class family in Ann Arbor Michigan, a child prodigy, Eric was the oldest of four siblings. He carried the hopes and dreams of his parents, who always pushed him to be better than he already was. The continued pressure from his parents motivated Eric but at the same time drove a wedge between himself and his family. Once Eric had graduated high school with honors, he was immediately offered multiple scholarships around the country. He ended up accepting a full-ride scholarship to Empire State University to get away from his family.

On arriving in New York, he was immediately filled with a sense of freedom and found himself constructing a new identity, often lying to his university peers about his family’s status and social level. The continuing lies coupled with the underlying envy he felt for the other more privileged students in his class made it hard for Eric to form any close bonds and so instead, he focused on his major; Electrical Engineering. Eric was good at what he did.

It was during the end of his first year at ESU, that his university was attacked by an alien race known as the Chituari. Though the Chitauri were drawn away due to the Avengers, they left the students of ESU with a parting gift; attached to the dead body of one of their comrades. Knowing that there wasn't anywhere to run, Eric immediately began to disable it. Because of his talents with electronics, he was able to disarm the bomb and save the lives of the students around him.

His achievement caught the eye of S.H.I.E.L.D., who approached him afterwards, offering him a job as a technician in their organization. Eric agreed without a second thought, with the substantial pay and advanced technology being key factors in his motivation. He was quickly assigned to assist in the operation of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s advanced virtual simulation training room, charged with repairing and modifying it when needed. Now, Eric's in his second year of university. His other occupation, is known only to a select few, including one Kate Bishop, who Eric often enjoys teasing during her training exercises. 

Personality Traits: Flirtatious, Amusing, Intelligent, Jealous, Patronizing, Arrogant

Skills and Abilities:

Good with machines

Genius level intellect 

Skilled mathematician 

Other Important Information: 

Lives and Works at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Main Headquarters

Studies at Empire State University

Is a proud and avid technophile

Learning hand-to-hand combat

Friends with hacker, Owen Knoll

Open Character: Katrina Kalderash | Bar Tender/Tarot Reader | Human | Alignment: Neutral | Age: 30 Years Old

FC: Noomi Rapace

A Romani Belonging to the Kalderash Clan in Romania, Katrina is the illegitimate child of Natalya Kalderash, and carries a direct lineage to the famous clan who cursed the vampire Angelus with a soul. 

Even though her bloodline was not pure, owing to her illegitimate status, she still grew up listening to the stories of her lineage. The story of how her ancestors had cursed the vampire Angelus with a soul was especially one that stuck with her, a tale of sorrow and pain that always brought her to tears. From an early age, Katrina excelled in the art of metallurgy, creating her own special and unique form of jewelry though her heart truly lay in the mystic art of fortune telling. Like many other in her clan, Katrina also dreamed of leaving her homeland and travelling around the world. Her plans did not come to pass as she was soon married. Though she was hesitant at first, in time she grew to love her husband, a kind and gentle man. Her marriage ended after three years however, when her husband died during a car accident.

Hurt turned to a need to get away and Katrina soon found herself leaving her homeland, using the vampire Angel as an excuse to get away. During her travels, word of the supernatural outbreak in New York spread to her ears along with word of Angel's travels to the city. She attempted to seek him out and offer up her services to him. She, in turn traveled to New York and to get by, sought out a job in a nearby bar while retaining her skills of metallurgy as well a tarot card reading. She has yet to find Angel but has not yet lost hope.

Character Traits: Extroverted, Resourceful, Willing, Greedy, Cunning, Patronizing 

Skills & Abilities: 

Skilled in the art of metallurgy 

Skilled Tarot Card Reader and Con Artist

Capable in hand-to-hand combat

Other Important Information: 

Owing to her impure bloodline, she cannot ammend the curse of Restoration upon Angel

Works as a bartender at the Blue Moon Bar with Wes Bullock

Open Character:  Wes Bullock | Bartender/Demon Hunter | Human | Alignment: Neutral | 39 Years Old

FC: Timothy Olyphant

Born in Montana to family of stock growers, from an early age Wes got used to working on the ranch knowing that one day he would inherit the meat business. He never objected to the path that had been laid out for him, and often found solace whilst riding out into wide-open space even at times picturing himself in an old cowboy movie. All that changed however, when he came home from herding the cattle one evening to find his family slaughtered, with little left to identify them. The police classified it as an unknown animal attack but Wes knew that it wasn’t an animal who’d killed him family, because Wes had caught a glimpse of whatever it was that had. The eighteen-year-old boy was sent to live with his paternal uncle who seized control of the ranch.

Wes continued to help his uncle out with the ranch but curiosity and vengeance ate at him until he decided to set out and find the creature responsible. He began to research various other such incidents around the area, each involving the same mysterious circumstances of death until he finally traced the killing to the source; a monster that was known as a Hellhound. His uncle who, out of a jealous rage, had planned to kill Wes and his entire family to become sole owner of the ranch had summoned the creature. Once Wes knew the truth, he confronted his uncle and was almost killed by the Hellhound in the process, however, Wes’ uncle had underestimated him and he soon paid for it with his life.

Soon after his uncle’s death along with the Hellhound’s, Wes sold the ranch and set off to New York, getting as far away from Montana as he could. Staring over wasn’t easy but the stockman adapted to the city life and used some of his money to buy a bar, however, the bar was just a cover for Wes who soon found himself on the hunt for creatures similar to the Hellhound.

Character Traits: Flirtatious, Suave, Kind Hearted, Unforgiving, Distrusting, Vengeful

Strengths & Abilities:

Highly trained with guns

Skilled poker player

Quick thinker

Skilled liar

Skilled horse rider

Other Important Information:

Owner and bartender of the Blue Moon Bar

Tends the bar with Katrina Kalderash