UPDATE: I've completed ALL of the mini-reviews (1 - 8) associated with Craghead's show. Scroll down and check them out! I doubt that I'll have time to write about Kim's work. It was interesting, for sure, but I really don't feel compelled to say much about it.
On November 11 I had the distinct pleasure of travelling down to Charlottesville, VA, to see Warren Craghead's solo show, True Defenders of the Craft, at Second Street Gallery. For those who have not seen Second Street Gallery, it's a beautiful, large space. There is a main gallery and a project space. Craghead filled the project space while Ju-Yeon Kim occupied the main gallery area. Though distinctly different bodies of work, the two artists complimented each other well.
Over the course of the next few days I will provide mini-reviews for each photo below. Please check back for updates. Be sure to click on the images for more detailed views.
Warren Craghead
True Defenders of the Craft. That's certainly a loaded title for an art show and I found it to be very provocative, if a bit baffling. Knowing what I know of Craghead's work and ideas, the craft he speaks of must be the art of drawing. Drawing was not too long ago out of vogue but it has recently made a great resurgence in the art world. Is it because artists feel a desire to get back to technical skill? Or is it so that artists can offer somewhat affordable works in such a hot marketplace? By using the the term "craft" one might assume that Craghead's exhibition would be filled with lovely, technical drawings. One would be wrong. In this show Craghead indeed draws, but at the same time he draws from so many different influences it's hard to say he's drawing at all. Make sense? No? Craghead's work does a wonderful job baffling viewers, myself included, in a good way.
Without a doubt this installation of three pieces stole the show. Though the artist may disagree, for me these pieces characterize Craghead's body of work. Craghead is a skilled draftsman, yet years of influence from comic books (and other sources obviously... I just see so much from comics) has influenced his aesthetic. In terms of actual traditional drawing, the artist has found a language of mark making that allows him to convey the desired idea in a minimum amount of graphite or ink. This notion of getting the most from the least is very much in line with comics in that space is limited but there is a story to tell. And though at first glance it may be hard to discern a story in Craghead's pieces, they are present.
Craghead's use of color and simple forms creates an environment (sometimes literally) in which the artist addresses his chosen subject matter: suburbia. He's able to set a mood with the colors in his collaged ground. He's able to set up a bit of underlying tension in the frenetic rendering of objects such as trees, houses, cars, etc. What from a distance appears to be a colorful collage upon closer inspection becomes a world of complexity. You can't see it until you're in it.
Connecting again with the comic book influence, Craghead installed a wall covered in a precise grid of 105 small drawings and collages (on average about 5" x 5" each). Individually, the works are good at capturing a single moment in time or idea. They feel like unassuming sketches and while they may be interesting, they don't hold much power. Until, that is, they are hung as a collective. When viewing the wide assortment of images, it becomes possible to formulate a grand narrative. Start at one image and use it as the introduction to a story. Move up, down, left or right and think of how the story develops. Continue the process until the nrrative is complete. In much the same way, I feel that Craghead shares all of these works with us to give a sense of his narrative. As a large body of work, we are viewing an extended effort of creativity. We see what interests the artist a little at a time. Some are highly representational while others more abstract. What does each piece tell us about the artist when he created it? Good mood or bad mood? Tired or wide awake? Creative or slumping?
Some of the pieces on view suggest that they took about five minutes to complete. Others wouldn't surprise us if they took hours to create. A first draft here. Rework this detail. Rework that detail. Complete. This wall of artwork feels alive. It wants to be the subtle star of the show. It demands your attention. Like they say, the sum = more than the parts. In this case, a lot more.
What Craft is it that Craghead is referring to? In the above image we see drawing, painting and collage. What is he attempting to defend? Here we see the variety of compositions that the artist works with. At top, very simple and pure drawing. At bottom, colorful and extroverted collages. Craghead makes use of USPS mailing labels, construction paper and styrofoam. Though he clearly demonstrates an aptitude for composition (color, line, depth, etc), I'm beginning to think the artist isn't defending the craft of drawing.
Instead, Craghead is defending the craft of creativity. The pure pursuit of artmaking. The process of creation. Sure, he is making serious art. That's without a doubt. But his approach is somewhat sneaky. I was never that interested in comics growing up. They seemed too childish, even for a child. But recently I was introduced to the expansive world of alternative comics. Far from juvenile, these comics deal with serious issues. They are often colorful and visually attractive, but they get at something more. The same can be said with Craghead's work. At the opening reception, I witnessed many kids pointing, smiling, laughing and enjoying Craghead's work. There's a primal appeal to what he's doing. But at the same time, adults were smiling while viewing the work but also thinking about it. What does it all mean? How does it function so well for all types of people while on the surface seeming so simple?
The images in this review only capture part of Craghead's show (what you see above). Yet look at the diversity. We've discussed the arrangement of three collaged drawings and the wall of small works. But we haven't looked at the huge drawing (approx 7' x 7') or the paper sculptures. You know I want to ask about "craft" again, but I won't. I'm too confused. In a good way.
Of particular interest to me are the paper sculptures. The artist has effectively pulled the collaged drawings off the wall and made them three-dimensional. It's a logical progression really, but one that I have not seen much of before. There's no change to the materials employed. Instead, it's how they are used. Whereas Craghead's 2D (perhaps with some 3D elements) works encourage viewers to step into them, the sculptures encourage viewers to step into the piece and walk around a bit. Since the artist's subject matter is suburbia, these compositions lend a particularly favorable hand to creating an environment. Take for example the sculpture with folded pink paper. What are we looking at? A yard? Stop sign? House or hill? If you're familiar with Craghead's writing, you know that he has a strong interest in Cubism. That can be seen in the fragmentation of images across his entire body of work, but it is quite prevelant in these sculptures. I can't answer with any certainty if I'm looking at a yard, stop sign, or house, but the feeling I get from the work is the right feeling, I think. Fortunately, these are much more pleasant to look at than Picasso's or Braque's version of Cubism... I had to slip that in there.
Ah, hands down the best single piece of art in the show! I absolutely fell in love with this little paper sculpture and I overheard many other people saying the same thing. This piece, in my opinion, does the best job focusing on drawing while being enhanced by other media. The dense, complex drawing is riveting. It encourages the viewer to lift off the vitrine and come in for a closer look. Here Craghead is making a strong case for the complexity of suburbia... the house on a the hill. Or is it the isolation of suburbia... I don't know. As a 3D object, the piece is very successful in transforming a flat drawing into an environment. No Cubist tricks here... it's clear we're looking at ground, a hill, sky and a tree. The intimate scale of the piece (approx. 8" x 6" x 10") works in delicate contrast to the scale of the depicted imagery. Priced at $300... this was the collector's steal of the show. Here's hoping that Craghead continues down this path.
Going from a delightful, small paper sculpture to an imposing, large wall drawing/collage is an awkward transition. Without question, this piece is the riskiest thing in the show. Attempting to cohesively merge tiny drawings, medium sized drawings, paper sculptures AND a huge wall drawing is a daunting task. I think Craghead attacked the problem with guts, even if I don't think the piece is the strongest in the show. In fact, I think the piece asked many more questions than any other piece in the show. Why did the artist choose to work so large? Is it the challenge of working large or does it aid in communicating the concept of the show? What is the work attempting to resolve? How? Why is there a tiny mark towards the bottom of the piece in a wide expanse of empty paper? How does Craghead's mark-making language operate? Why this piece of paper for the collage versus another?
When you view Craghead's smaller pieces you can feel confident about resolving how it functions. You can make sense of it, or at least feel like you are making sense of it. But as compositions become larger, such as with the wall of small drawings or the large wall drawing/collage, a whole new world opens up that doesn't make as much sense any more. Craghead is blowing apart the craft of whatever (be that drawing, sculpture, creativity...) and exploring all of it's potential. Having seen Craghead's studio, I can say that it most closely resembles a mad scientist's lab. I can't make sense of it. It baffles me that I can walk on paper that may later find it's way into a piece of art. What is art anyway? How does it come together? What is it that the artist sees in the color of paper or a simple mark on paper?
It takes an artist with vision to make sense of all the materials he chooses to work with. Craghead does that. Very well in fact. That I am baffled by his work says more about my ability to see than his ability to create. Sure, Craghead can fine tune the way he presents his vision. But today, I very much like what I see. I can't wait to see what I'll be able to see tomorrow, with more looking.
Ju-Yeon Kim
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