Woodward Gallery celebrates its 21st birthday by starting the
year with 20 in 15 – a show that is intended
to represent the diverse genres of art being created by living contemporary
artists of today. From figurative to abstract, from installation works to
surreal paintings, from photography to street art, all and more are a part of
this exhibition.
Moody’s little graffiti panels and Spencer’s hanging installation in the
entrance invite the viewer into the gallery. Forbes II’s deliciously kitschy
still lives of food evoke a childlike energy which is enhanced by Cycle’s meticulously
detailed animal paintings. Hambleton’s Dancing
Shadowman peeps in from the back wall setting up an atmosphere of
intrigue. Stikman’s Threaded piece and Darkclouds’s The End of Time entertain the same high level of energy while
Claxton’s hand cut paper assemblages and floral paintings by Ichikawa and Breen
emit softer vibes.
Artists included in the show significantly vary in their artistic and
cultural backgrounds which inevitably is visible in their work. The works do
not have a common theme and completely differ in style and concept, with each piece requiring,
in fact, a specific attitude to be viewed. The intention of the show is to present a
range of (mostly) two dimensional work being created presently, and in my
opinion, successfully accomplishes that purpose along with informing the audience
about the talented artists in practice today.
This show was diverse! Some photographs could help the reader visualize the gallery space.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a possible theme of show was indulgence. Perhaps you could identify some other unifying themes in the introduction so there is a clearer thesis statement for the review. Then, in addition to the wonderful description you already have, you could discuss each piece was they relate to each other and those themes. You may also want to include a short concluding paragraph.