Artists "Review" Artists: Chris Rywalt on Demetrius Romanos

The Artists "Review" Artists Project was launched on June 30, 2008.  Below is a "review" of Demetrius Romanos' work, Runway 3, written by Chris Rywalt.  Demetrius provided the second jpeg, an image of Runway 2, as well as a brief response to Chris' "review."

Demetrius currently resides in Cincinnati, OH, and Chris lives in New York, NY.

If you would like to participate in this project, please email me at jtkirkland [at] gmail [dot] com.

                
Runway 3
acrylic, colored pencil & collage on wood panel
16" x 26"
2008

The "Review"

"Runway 3" tackles something that's occasionally interested me as an artist:  The nighttime urban landscape.  Airports especially always make me think of capturing their beauty -- every time I drive past Newark International I imagine getting the swirl of lights and clouds and energy bursting through the never-dark of northern New Jersey's night.

Maybe that's why I'm disappointed in this painting.  It's always hard to tell from a reproduction, but it seems to fail to vibrate as it should.  The painting lies there, kind of flat and even-toned, lacking texture or excitement.  It's muted, more baggage handler than traveler.

I wish the JPEG was higher resolution; I can't make out what's happening in the middle ribbon of light gray.  Is the horizon line below that or above it?  It's ambiguous in the JPEG, and I suspect it is in the original as well.  This ambiguity isn't helping the painting.  In fact the whole thing hovers between realistic and farcical; the planes look like planes but are lined up in the air as no passenger planes ever are.  The letter G is no doubt seen on runways, but this one is clearly collaged on.  The lights could be real lights but they're in more of a Benday dot pattern.  These contradictions don't add up to a mood; they come together as something less than themselves.

The painting works well at first glance, though.  It's fine to skim, just not much to read.

By Chris Rywalt

        
Runway 2
Acrylic on canvas
30" x 40"
2008

The Response

A craftsman should never blame their tools, but in this case a sub-par photograph has netted a sub-par review.  Runway 3 is part of a series of paintings inspired by staring out of an airplane window while grounded during a storm.  What struck me as I committed the images to memory was the refraction and pixilation that occurs when light is seen through beaded up rain.  Seen in person, this painting exhibits tremendous depth and texture that is lost in this photo.  The ambiguity of the reflections and horizon line however are intentional.  Having had completed a series of collage pieces just prior to this, the 2 collage elements here were meant to serve as a bridge to this series of paintings and in my opinion give some context that add to the overall graphic quality I was aiming for.  The result is heavy in atmosphere and overlaid with simple, graphic elements that capture the essence of the view.  Not having the opportunity to study the piece live, I will at least credit the reviewer with identifying the correct location.

By Demetrius Romanos

Previous "Reviews":
Pam Farrell on Ken Weathersby
Paula McCullough on Aric Calfee
Lee Gainer on Leigh Waldron-Taylor
Aric Calfee on Paula McCullough
Matthew Ballou on Heather Levy
Giovanni Garcia-Fenech on TJ Norris
TJ Norris on Giovanni Garcia-Fenech
Susan Tolbert on Mary Klein
Heather Levy on Gail Vollrath
Sharon Butler on Matthew Ballou
Mark L. Power on Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander on Mark L. Power
Molly Norris on M. Trigos
Ken Weathersby on Joseph Barbaccia
Sondra Arkin on Susan Tolbert
John M. Adams on Sharon Butler
Michael Paul Oman-Reagan on Brent Hallard
Daniel Mafe on Pam Farrell
Joanna Knox on John M. Adams
John Lucien Grillo on Joanna Knox
Brent Hallard on Lisa Klow
Joseph Barbaccia on John Lucien Grillo
M. Trigos on Michael Paul Oman-Reagan
Mary Klein on Imants Ozers
Richard Schemmerer on Michael Konrad
Michael Konrad on Richard Schemmerer
Jennifer Mawby on Lee Gainer
Lisa Klow on Molly Norris
Bob Barbera on Jenn Figg
Tom Wagner on Kimberley L. Lindsley
Michelle Hunter on Aaron McMasters
Gail Vollrath on Daniel Mafe
Aaron McMasters on Michelle Hunter
Demetrius Romanos on Chris Rywalt

Comments

[m]

Just want to comment on the painting and the review. Even before reading the review or response, and even with any shortcomings of jpeg resolution, it was clear to this looker that the ambiguity of space and light, and the slightly schematic, graphic look of represented elements (like the G and the pixilation) were quite deliberate. While it's not going to change the world, the painting works. I'll stop short of reviewing the "review". Enough to say Chris missed the mark. By a mile.

[Brent Hallard]

Demetrius your painting is fine. Along with the above comment, the stylizations, including the overblown pixilation, the graphic starkness of the 'G', 'the pilot's grip', not only inspire a greater look into the mystery of the painting, it uplifts: time, frame, and motif—memory of being grounded, waiting with growing intolerance, in the vacuum of a storm.

c.p.

[Chris Rywalt]

I would like to note something I didn't make clear in the "review": I really don't think you can judge a painting from a JPEG. They absolutely need to be experienced in person. So I don't honestly consider this a valid review of the painting; it's more of a review of the reproduction. I wouldn't generally review a JPEG but for the purposes of this project of J.T.'s I went for it.

A craftsman should never blame their tools, but have you ever tried to repair a car with only one screwdriver?

[Lindsay Nealon]

I immediately knew this was lights in rain. Also, it's visually pleasing to see the hard-edged "G" sign against the painterly ground. I think the work captures your intention, although I would love to see the painting in person.

[mietwagen]

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