Archive for February, 2010
A Chilled Garden of Verse: Clare Doveton
… the land lies wind-whipped, Winter-dusted, stark, cold, serene, dead still …
The Elements in Harmony: Keshav Ramaswami
The paintings, which recalls works by Joan Miro, Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky (all of whom Ramaswami cites as influences), vary between stark, sleek geometry and images that, while less “regular,” are no less carefully executed and arranged.
The Sound of One Symbol Clashing: Jessica McGan
For viewers of any age, McGan’s works (both old and new) offer emotional resonance and visual engagement. They’re as likely to bring people to agreement as to divide them along artistic or ideological lines.
FOURTH/FINAL FRIDAY CALENDAR DIGEST
In the Kansas City metro area, two main openings compete for your eyes — a look at suburbia by a number of artists at the Nerman and a new exhibition at Kemper in the Crossroads. In between, Onevillage Church hosts its final Final Friday evening of art and music for a cause. Out in Wichita, there is a daunting number of FF venues offering art.
(ARTKC365) Reworking Man: Ben Hawkins
Stylistically, Hawkins’ work is straight out of the mid-20th century … not only the era of advertising clip art and Tex Avery cartoons (echoes of both show up in his pieces), but also the time when many of his salvaged objects first came into being. These pieces don’t just recall vintage items … they are vintage items.
FIVE CHOICES TODAY, 2-25
UMKC Gallery of Art opens a new three-person exhibition, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art hosts a Photography Society lecture, The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a reception for Peregrine Honig’s book project, and the Spencer Museum of Contemporary Art opens a new installation by its visiting artist Kim Jongku — pick your geography and visual art preference and have a nice evening!
Hiding in Plain Sight: Larry Thomas
Thomas, an instructor and chairman of the art department at Johnson County Community College, achieves his desired effect through a combination of painting, printing and collage. The final result (see “Under Cover,” today’s featured image) is hardly what leaps to mind as an example of camouflage: It’s intricate and it conceals, yes, but it’s also eye-grabbingly bright and bold.
Carry that Weight: Melanie Lowrance
Lowrance’s works keep drawing the eye back … and in. Perhaps it’s something voyeuristic, akin to whatever it is that leads us to people-watch and make up stories about those we’re observing. Maybe it’s sympathy or its rarer cousin, empathy.
Drawing on Faith: Greg Cissell
“Draws Me Closer,” on display through March 10 at Imago Dei Arts Center, is drawn (literally and thematically) from the Bible. Cissell’s work is simple, stark and at the same time passionate.
FEMINIST THREADS, OR, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LADIES
Women in art: Writer Rachel Epp Buller reflects on the presence of feminist thought and art at the College Art Association annual conference in Chicago, 2010.
KNOWING MEANS LOVING
A photographic record of the entire population of a Midwestern town brings Iowa and personal stories to life at the Belger Arts Center, by Peter Feldstein and Stephen G. Bloom.
BEYOND THE CAMOUFLAGE
What are the devices we use to survive? When confronted by danger, our options of “fight-or-flight” are not the only means of coping: Larry Thomas’s new paintings, which themselves are made through a layered process that reveals and hides images in their surroundings, show that staying still and blending in is only one way camouflage works. It can also be dynamic.
Junkyard Love: Aaron Dougherty
On the surface, Dougherty’s interest in utilitarian steel and cinder block buildings, rusting fences and — let’s be blunt here — junk might seem more than a bit out of character. Obviously, it’s not … and that’s a good thing.
Greeting Each Day with Fun: Karen Kay
This being a brand new day, Kay will have yet another creative project in the works … and another tomorrow, and one the day after that, and so on. But if the works in this show are any indication, she will continue to meet that challenge with a few well-chosen words and a smile.
In A Big Sky Country, Dreams Stay with You: Drew Bodner
Montana bills itself as “Big Sky Country,” and Bodner’s show at Homer’s Coffee House in downtown Overland Park is in keeping with that nickname. Sweeping vistas, executed with obvious affection for the land, abound … and where there are big skies, there will be big sunsets.
Entries(RSS)