Roundup

Because I've been so busy recently I haven't been able to churn out any long reviews. So, I'd like to publish some quick blurbs of shows that either have recently passed or are still up today.

Compelled by Content at Fraser Gallery

Syl Mathis

Local art star Tim Tate curated this intriguing exhibition of glass art that dealt with content. Typically glass art has been associated with decoration and prettiness. Take for example the glassblower I studied under in college, Stephen Rolfe Powell. Tate is pushing to have glass be considered in equal footing with painting, sculpture, photography, film, etc. This show contained works by 13 glass artists and there were several highlights. I was intrigued by the work of locals Syl Mathis, Michael Janis and obviously Tim Tate.

While I believe many of these artists dealt more directly with content in their work, many appeared to me to be lightweight. Syl Mathis' work is clearly beautiful and it may be about content, but it's not immediate and clear to me just what the content is. I believe I could come up with something, but it's just not as direct as I thought the work in this show would be. Other pieces are directly about content but didn't interest me visually. The worst piece in the show was undoubtedly the hanging plate of glass that when you grabbed ahold of it a light show appeared on the glass and odd music played. After about 2 seconds it wore out its welcome. The best piece(s) in the show for me were made by the curator, Tim Tate:

These pieces are at once beautiful, intriguing, complex, subtle, in your face, and meaningful. They are fragile but given the presentation are given a sort of power and prestige. But Tim has had plenty of press recently and needs no more... from me at least!

This was a good to great show that will influence glass shows in the years to come. And I think that's what makes it so successful, in spite of the uninteresting pieces. Kudos to Lenny and Kate for putting it on.

Lisa Bertnick @ Hemphill

Bertnick's digital drawings are sexy and seductive. The young women she depicts are just plain hot. But often times they are professional. They like to have fun and flaunt their stuff. The drawings immediately recall fashion illustrations and it makes me wonder if Bertnick has longings to enter that field someday.

I loved the presentation of the works. In the most elegant gallery in DC the editioned drawings are framed is creamy white frames. But the best decision was to not put glass in front of the drawings. This put each young woman in the gallery space with the viewer. It made the more real and made the drawings more fragile. What would protect these women? I could reach out and touch the drawing, and some sicko might! Archivists might throw and fit but it's a great decision.

I have two concerns... neither of which are deal breakers for the show. I'm curious where the variety in the work will come from. Each woman is beautiful and stylized. Now what? Will they get ugly? Will guys enter the frames? What's going to happen to them? I imagine we'll see soon enough. My only other concern was with a couple of the drawings where body parts felt slightly out of place. I recall one piece where the woman's hip seemed to be too high. But then again, I can't say that I've been around many woman that could pass as supermodels. On TV I've seen them strike some unlikely poses so perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps a flexible woman could really put her hip in that placement.

In the end these are small, almost insignificant concerns. Bertnick's women and work are equally seductive. You have until July 2 to see for yourself.

Jose Ruiz @ G Fine Art

If there is a nicer, more deserving artist in the world than Jose Ruiz, I want to know his or her name. Some back ground is in order. Jose has participated in several of my projects and we have communicated frequently over email. Jose not too long ago lived in Washington, DC, but he recently moved to NYC. Though we had never met we constantly had interesting back and forth dialogue. Given that, you see why I was so excited to see Jose's show at G Fine Art which opened on Saturday.

Finally I got to meet Jose and he was incredibly too nice. On his night he wouldn't stop asking about my work and show, and he kept introducing me to HIS well-wishers. That's enough about Jose though!! The work in this show - several photographs and a video - are brilliantly done. Somehow I can sense this although I certainly don't "get" all there is to get in his work. I believe Jose's work is highly conceptual and although during a busy opening reception I couldn't quite figure it out, I was able to be attracted to the visual quality of the work. And if I needed any more of a hint the vast majority of viewers were crammed into the project room to see Ruiz's work instead of whatever the boring stuff was in the main space.

My two favorite pieces are below. The image with two stills (it's a video piece) show Kelly Towles on the left putting up some mild-mannered graffiti and then Jose on the right "erasing" the graffiti. It's a fun piece to watch. We could probably harmonize on the work for hours and be fascinated by all the allusions in the piece. For these purposes, let's leave it at saying it's just good ol' fun to watch. The second piece below is a large photograph of toilet paper. You can see it. You don't need me to say anything about it. It's called "Was On/Wax Off." What do you think it's about?

You have until July 16 to see this one.

Y. David Chung @ Flashpoint

Finally! A great show at Flashpoint. I don't even need to say much about this show. Chung's work is a surprise to me (I know.. how don't I know more about his work?). It's full energy and movement. It's full of traditional references. The enormous wall drawing will envelope you. This show is a beauty. Just go see it!

Comments

[Kriston Capps]

Chung's based in NYC I believe, but he had a video installation in the "Media/Metaphor" Corc biennial.

[philip]

As far as I know David lives in the Mather building above Flashpoint. I believe he is teaching in Michigan now, so he spends a lot of time there. He exhibited for many years at Gallery K.

[Kriston Capps]

That's right, he does live in the Flashpoint residence. He was based in NYC. Sort of an international guy I guess.