Review

Photograph from "Polar Eyes".

J.C. Cirese
Polar Eyes: A Journey through Time and Space

7-9 p.m.
(Opening Reception)

The Bourgeois Pig
6 E. 9th St.
Lawrence, KS
785.843.1001

Hours after opening reception: 7 a.m.-2 a.m. daily.
Runs through: January 16

Gallery site: http://www.myspace.com/bourgeoispig

There must be some extra nutrient for the right brain in Lawrence's water supply. The artists there seem to all be "slashes" ... artist/musicians, artist/filmmakers, artist/writers and so forth.

Today's multitasking creator is J.C. Cirese, photographer/sculptor/guitarist and vocalist for The Old Black. His show of photographs, Polar Eyes: A Journey through Time and Space, opens tonight at Lawrence's The Bourgeois Pig.

As the show doesn't open until tonight, I've seen only a few images. But judging by those shots -- heck, just judging by the photo atop this post — it's a safe bet that the show will live up to curator Molly Murphy's description.

(Make that artist/curator Molly Murphy. She also embraces the slash.)

In her words: J.C. Cirese documents everything in his wake, the grass we walk on, the trash we toss aside, the people we try not to look at, the landscapes and fixtures around us, companions and strangers alike. This new series of photos is rich in color and natural patterning, holding a slightly surreal quality in its documentation of the world around us. (In) The Bourgeois pig's last show of 2009, Cirese turns a fertile eye on the year behind and sets a challenge to the viewer to take a closer look in the next.

Taking stock and looking ahead are both good things. But even if you're not feeling particularly introspective, Cirese's art is worth a look or several. The Surrealist element is only part of the attraction; Cirese's skills in composition, and in working with light and dark, provide plenty of other reasons.

The venue itself adds even more value to the show. The Bourgeois Pig, besides providing a place to see Cirese's challenging art after midnight, also combines the best aspects of bar and coffeehouse.

Guess it embraces the slash, too.

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