Rose Colors in my garden....
Not everything is rosy. When I step out of my garden, and confront the political realities the images that come to my mind are dreadful. Just thinking about the young children cut off from their families is a gut-wrenching immigration issue and that is one big scandal among many.
The Print Club of Rochester
International Printmaking Exhibition
Bevier Gallery thru August 11, 2018
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Print Club of Rochester had a very lofty goal of being the sponsor for an international exhibition of prints with a political twist. The current show that is being held at Rochester Institute of Technology in the Bevier Gallery sits calmly on the walls under the lights, but these works of art have a hard time up against the intense battles being waged in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere around our country.
"American Carnage" , linocut by Barbara Striker
One print in this new show - a linocut by Barbara Striker called " American Carnage" made in 2017, gets close to the current feelings of outrage - showing a line up of dead birds, drops of red blood and name tags attached to their feet that read: Disaster, Corrupt, Nasty, Bad Hombre, etc. These words recall the presidential campaign trail, the elections and now we can see the results!
Print by Laurie Szujewska
A print - from California artist Laurie Szujewska has been made using large wood letters spelling out the word Treason, which has been redacted. I think of all the government documents that have been blacked out - with information that we will never discover in this democracy of ours.
Kate Mariner, letterpress print
Many of the stronger works in the show are text based. It is found in a statement quoted from Zora Neale Hurston about racism that was the main feature in a letterpress print by Kate Mariner, and strength is found in a print from Kristine Bouyoucos she titles: "Love Trumps Hate" made with metal stencils and overprinting.
Kristine Bouyoucos at Bevier Gallery
"Political Impressions"
"Media Bias" by Collette Lucas
Collette Lucas has sent a screen print for the exhibition that she calls: "Media Bias". This text based print is the latest mantra from the Trump Whitehouse.
In the show at Rochester Contemporary Art Center this summer called 6 X 6, there is one little square painting that says a lot about "Political Impressions" - Elect A Clown, Get A Circus".
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
6 X 6
This year's edition of 6 X 6 as usual is bursting at the seams with art - so many artworks to choose from if you want to support the artists, and the Art Center. I spent a fair amount of time looking over this years display. Many styles, many subjects, but there are always a few things that stand out including Robert Marx's drawings, along with the political ones like the Trump portrait above.
Rochester Contemporary Art Center's annual 6 X 6
An art collection can begin here, on the ground floor, so to speak. Almost anyone with a spare $20. can begin to buy artwork for themselves or as a gift for that deserving someone. There is something for any taste, and I am happy to say that I now have a selection of these works in my collection that I look at every day and I was happy to support our Rochester Contemporary Art Center in this way.
6 X 6 Is a show that is a garden of delights, so take some time and GO THERE! You won't be disappointed.....
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
6 X 6
