–from Terry Johnson —
The MAN MADE exhibition currently showing at the Orcas Center is by local men artists that are seldom seen in local venues. Men artists are not prone to wave their own flag about their work, but rather we do our work…give a Neanderthal grunt of “me do good,” and then file the work away in storage places. However, the current exhibition may spark a deserved interest in what is happening with men-generated art on Orcas.
Okay, the highlights of the show?…most definitely Dwight Dukes diptych “REFLECTIONS” (meant to be shown side by side) of gun-powder-generated images on venetian plaster that are barely representational and brought to a result that is both serendipitous and intentional at the same time. It is unfortunate that the diptych was not given a better viewing space. Duke’s bronze sculpture is also a tour d’ force laden with metaphors, and should be placed in the middle of the foyer.
John Berry’s “FREDA” is a beautiful painting that should be studied for it’s use of both paint and drawing techniques. The two techniques compliment one another and the resulting painting is one done by an accomplished artist. I hope to see more of his work in future exhibitions.
Bob Mattox’s “APPLES” is another head turner of faultless painting, so well done in both exploratory technique and sensitive tonality. (Where have these guys been hiding?)
I’m commenting here on the fine arts only in the MAN MADE show in the foyer of Orcas Center. There are other artists and artisans that are presenting very good pieces, but I’m not commenting on the crafts. Exhibitions of this caliber are long over due, and hopefully the visual arts committee will be scheduling some singular shows in the future. There are a lot of themes to ponder.
Terry Johnson is an Orcas resident and former full professor from Cornish College in Seattle.
Mmmhh – me only morbidly saddened, that my gender also victim of sexist stereotyping, reflected in spades in Issues review. We be guys, yeah, but we still be human, have feelings, have creative flame, can do. Warhol, Mozart, Lloyd Wright, Sophocles, Goethe, have male chromosome, but still could impress when chips down. No nonplussed – just puzzled, as knuckles lift off floor. No hypersensitivity, just sense of gargantuan irony. Break welcome. Mmmhh
Would you allow me some levity here? From my wide experience of being a recognized
artist on the west coast, a lot of my artist friends from Seattle and beyond poke fun at
ourselves for not being recognized. It’s just what we do as a relief. Do we hold
resentment against the perponderance of critical reviews of women artists?…no,
of course not. If the art work is credible, then whomever generated it deserves recognition.
But let’s be clear here…this is about an exhibition titled MAN MADE! Got it? it’s about
men artists on Orcas island. What’s sexist about that? Would you object to an exhibition titled WOMAN MADE? Hope not.
But because it’s a review about male artists
and how we tend to hide away our endeavors, then it’s somehow suspect as
being pejorative about male artists? Please! This review was simply to acknowledge the male artists on the island who have a tendency to be quiet and not exalt their work, and
I’m so glad that they came out of the woodwork to show their artwork. My experience
on the island with male artists (fourteen years) is that most of us just want to paint and then,
hopefully, connect with other men artists about what we do. Mostly we don’t connect,
except in shows such as what we are talking about. That is why I’m writing the review…
about time don’cha think?
The exhibition is singular (male oriented) and I think that is what gives it’s
uniqueness. I would love to write a review on an exhibition titled WOMAN MADE,
and I would do everything I can to be as objective as I can. Good art is just that…
good art! Sometimes I think the best exhibition would be one were no names
were attached to the originator of the artwork, but it was just presented with a title.
Then no one would know if the artist were male or female, and then judge the artwork on its own merits. But then someone would object to that also.
What is your reason for calling the review as “sexist sterotyping in spades”? Don’t get it.
Well said Terry, should have thrown up a “trigger warning”
Seems like there are so many fragile snowflakes these days it’s nearly impossible not to melt a few, even when the message was clearly in jest…
Thanks guys – too much fun! Best to us all, and my tongue is still firmly in cheek!
Why do we have to descend into name calling, as in “snowflakes?”
Apologies Carl! You got me! In these “fragile” times I took you literally. Well played!
Hey everybody, I am just commenting on good painting that is generated by men.
I find nothing “sexist” about that at all. Let’s all of us stop being so gender
sensitive, please! Aren’t we addressing the often difficult and frustrating act of
producing our best version, via art, of expressing ourselves? I find it so difficult
in my normal life to express myself anyway, so why not just turn to painting?…
it’s a whole lot better and cheaper than therapy. (not trying to be jocular here,
just honest).
There are some that can write, or sing, or are actors, and then there are some of
us who are thirsting from some response from our peers…not adulation, no, but perhaps recognition that what we do is worth noting. Too poetic?, no, I don’t think
so. Just very real and honest. When we think we are producing a well executed
piece of artwork, it’s really rewarding to have a nod from our peers that what we
did was really, really good. We as men artists, don’t often get that response, and
that’s why I stated in my article…”where have these guys been hiding?”.
Well, some of them have come out of the woods now, and I hope that other
opportunities will present themselves. My fear is that no one in the Orcas
community will notice. BUT I WILL?…and I will write about it!
ha ha – this is so funny! you can’t make this stuff up! Thank you, Carl Burger! that was beautiful!
Loved seeing this show, and I have my favorites, which I will not “review” here. Hope to get a closer look before it’s gone.