artscope magazine: January/February 2010 Welcome Statement: Brian Goslow, managing editor Letters to the Editor roundtable - Three Professionals. One Question. cornered: a conversation with an art exhibition attendee FEATURED ARTIST GEORGE NICK - Reflections of an impermanent world Not Your Typical Photo Place - PHOTOPLACE GALLERY TARO SHINODA: LUNAR REFLECTIONS ODDLY PRETTY PAINTINGS - HANNAH COLE TANGIBLE EXPERIENCE: BRIAN KEITH STEPHENS Belonging and Longing - Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Works on Paper FIXED CHAOS at Montserrat SILENT CIRCLES: THE HEALING - Barbara Gagel FEATURE - Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking by David Driskell FEATURE - Historic Japanese Kiri-E and Contemporary Tibetan Thangka GOLDEN LEGACY: Original Art From 65 Years Of Golden Books DECEIVINGLY SIMPLE - Charles Duback: Collages EMMA AMOS: HEROES AND FOLK GHOSTS OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE: ZUGUNRUHE wanderlust - The (Right) Brainpower Triangle: The Finest Free Art in Somerville and Cambridge community - THE KATE: A Little Gem With A Movie Star Name industry focus - BUY WHAT YOU LOVE education - SPACE TO DISCOVER: MASSART/FAWC LOW RESIDENCY MFA Capsule Previews

EMMA AMOS: HEROES AND FOLK Linda Chestney Lamont Gallery Phillips Exeter Academy 11 Tan Lane Exeter, New Hampshire Through January 23 “As one goes through life one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.” — Katharine Hepburn She paddles her own canoe, does Emma Amos. Born in Atlanta to an upper class family, she is quick to point out that both of her college-educated parents had fathers who were born slaves — which indirectly became her story. She is radical, and an extremely accomplished artist. But she, as do we all, carries the baggage of her heritage. For her, it was the crucible that formed her life and informs her art. Amos’ work has been shown throughout the United States and around the world. It is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Wadsworth Atheneum, Dade County and Newark museums, and many more. Painter, printmaker and weaver, Emma Amos’ dance with art began at six. Later she worked as a designer/weaver, creating rugs for a major textile company. While working on her master’s degree at New York University, she was invited to become a member of artist group “Spiral.” She was the group’s youngest and only female member. The subjects of Amos’ paintings are meant to question prejudices, rules and assumptions about art — and who makes it, poses for it, shows it and buys it. Her work reflects her investigations into the otherness often seen by white male artists, along with the notion of desire, the dark body versus the white body, racism and the need for her art to be seen as social commentary. She wants the viewer to feel her distaste for the concept that there is “art” and there is “black art.” After 50 years as a working artist, Amos still carries the banner to educate people to understand that race, sex, class and power privileges exist in the world of art. Her current exhibit at Lamont Gallery reflects her life-long love of art and the maturing of her talent. The colors are profuse, the patterns nearly overwhelming and the messages noteworthy. Fond of African batik and Kente prints, she uses them in combination with other mediums — acrylic, oil and photography techniques — to make her point. In the 21 pieces on display, the expressions are varied — a colorful woven wool rug, large diptychs, small acrylics, exquisitely patterned African fabrics and works hung tapestry-like on dowels. Some of her figures tumble off the canvas and hang by a cord from the main frame. Some of her works feature renderings of well-known figures — Louis Armstrong, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Nelson Mandela. Amos offers a look at figures that inspire or even frighten her with their brilliant (or bizarre) behavior. This list includes “Great Grandpa (Thomas) Jefferson,” “Bill T. Jones” (the great dancer/choreographer), Read the entire article in our magazine pages...