Alan Singer: "Electrical Storm" gouache on canvas
in the new
66th Finger Lakes Juried Exhibition
Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY
Painting by David Hockney of the Grand Canyon
Actually, I have not been in the Memorial Art Gallery for a while, so walking around I found some really exciting developments. The David Hockney painting of the Grand Canyon was a surprise - especially because it is in a gallery with some classic ( and much older ) American landscapes, so it really stands out ( all of that red! ). But I like the attitude.
New Wall murals by FUA Krew
When you walk down the hall where the Sarah C. Rutherford portraits were painted, we now have extravagant graffiti which must be a first for any local museum to reserve space for artists of this genre. Yes, I have seen many photos of this sort of mark making and a lot of the real thing on the subways of New York City ( Thank you TAKI 183 ! ), but to see this jazzy stuff along the hall really could change some minds about the outreach the museum is undertaking.
Peter Fischli & David Weiss: their film " The Way Things Go"
Take the time to sit and watch "The Way Things Go" in the media lab. It is a kind of Rube Goldberg process when one thing hits another and sets off a chain reaction. Reminds me of the viral videos for the music group OK Go that I saw at the Bridges Conference in Canada a couple of summers ago.
Photo courtesy of The Memorial Art Gallery
Greeting visitors to the show
Once inside the 66th Finger Lakes Juried Exhibition I found myself looking over artwork from a wide variety of working artists, and even some who might describe themselves first as scientists or crafts people. The juror for this show is Marilyn Zapf ( any relation to the type designer Herman Zapf? ) . She chose a selection from 62 artists many of whom I have seen before, and there are always a few surprises in store! A visitor can cast a vote for their favorite before they leave.
Susan D'Amato " Taxonomy of Air"
A trend it seems in some contemporary art presents a kind of obsessive compulsive behavior like the presentation by Susan D'Amato from her series of Ten Thousand Things, which was similar in some respect to Cory Card's drawings of dust particles that won an award across the room. Cory Card's artwork here is like a fresh kind of neo-dada experience.
Jeanne Beck's " Book of Longings"
A wall hanging from Jeanne Beck is just gorgeous with hanging chains and gold papers that could flutter in a breeze takes me back to paintings of Gustav Klimt and Vienna. Directly across from that are two artworks from Werner Sun whom I had the chance to meet in Ithaca when we had the opening of my printmaking show which will be coming soon to Rochester, at the new RIT City Art Space.
Joseph Accorso's painting of the "High Falls Spring Runoff"
There is a diverse approach by contemporary painters,and in this show there are a few pieces that approach traditional renderings of what we can see around us, notably the painting of High Falls by Joseph Accorso. There are several standout works that are dimensional and Lee Hoag's work would be among them. He invents what look to be utilitarian objects that have yet to be discovered - and as technology impacts our lives - so does art.
Lee Hoag and "Late Shift", 2018
I was glad to see that Colleen Buzzard's piece was given an award. Having just been in her studio within the last month, she is doing something with drawing, sculpture, and light that is very engaging.
I urge you to go see this new exhibition, because a delicate piece like Colleen's does not reproduce well - you have to see the real thing!
Colleen Buzzard"s "Hard Merge From Left"
Our Print Club of Rochester is lead in part by Katharine Baca-Bielinis and she has a fine print in this show which should not get over-looked. It is telling that the juror's taste comes out in the present exhibition, and it is not based on the trendiest color or material. Come and enjoy the show, and before you leave, stop in to find the Lockhart Gallery show that is on now ( 1969 Turns 50 ) and enjoy the collection there that includes the well-known like Andy Warhol, and the artists that will be better known like Warren Colescott ( 1921-2018 ).
Lockhart Gallery presents: "1969 Turns 50 "
Warren Colescott ( 1921 - 2018 )
The Memorial Art Gallery is undergoing a period of renewal. There are many reasons to come out and look at what is happening in the arts, especially now when there is so much political turbulence in our country. It is a good time to find some peace and a way to contemplate what artists have to add to our daily lives. It is just like what the bumper sticker says: EARTH without ART is just EH....
Wendell Castle and Kathy Calderwood
at
The Memorial Art Gallery
500 University Avenue, Rochester, NY
