Looking Beyond The Grayscale by Elizabeth Michelman “Black/White,” this summer’s show at Bromfield, contextualizes the work of 13 gallery artists. Included are drawings, collaged and digitally processed images on paper and plastic, letterpress and photography, needle- point and paintings on aluminum and canvas. What counts as (primarily) “black and white” is left up to the individual artist, based on theory, desire or past work. The limited palette, is for some, the preferred modality. Others produced work just for this show, or had a piece that fit. Ironic, austere, raucous and poetic voices all find their places here. These artists are making work that goes against the tide, emphasizing process, playfulness, and personal search, not grand systems, glamor or global indictments. Within the narrow confines of palette, these works puzzle and delight. Judy Riola calls … [Read more...] about Black/White
July/August 2014
Amuse-Bouche
Paintings by Sarah Lutz And Richard Baker by Laura Shabott Jean-George Vongerichten, a New York celebrity restaurateur, describes “amuse-bouche” as the “best way for a great chef to express his or her big ideas in little bites.” It is a fitting thematic for the work of two remarkably talented painters — Richard Baker and Sarah Lutz — in their collaborative site-specific show this August in The Gallery at Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. This departure into installation as a form of expression comes from Baker’s exploration of the genre with “Holiday” this past February at New York’s Tibor De Nagy Gallery. “An artist friend said to me during a visit, ‘Your studio is the art.’ So, I re-created elements of it within the gallery,” Baker said. This visitor’s keen observation, along with “Against Interpretation,” an essay by Susan Sontag and Jacques Tati’s film, … [Read more...] about Amuse-Bouche
Coastal Route 1
You Can Get There From Here by Jamie Thompson Although visitors may not make pilgrimages to Route 1 like they do to Route 66, the East Coast thoroughfare does make for an attractive summer road trip. The coastal stretches of Route 1 in Maine are particularly appealing. Freeport, Brunswick and Bath are all within 18 miles of one another, and they boast a mix of historic atmosphere and modern flair, with eclectic boutiques, fine restaurants and, of course, a diverse art scene. FREEPORT Freeport is a popular tourist destination for its charming historic architecture and plethora of outlet stores, not to mention L.L. Bean, a mecca for the outdoorsy. But, there is more to the town than shopping opportunities. Start your journey early to take advantage of the irresistible offer- ings at Frosty’s Donuts (45 Main St.). Adjacent to Frosty’s is the Freeport Historical … [Read more...] about Coastal Route 1
P-Town
A CONVERSATION ABOUT PROVINCETOWN GALLERIES Provincetown, a renowned arts colony, is a safe harbor for diversity, not just for lifestyle choices, but also as a place where artists of all mediums exhibit their works. Today, there are well over 50 galleries within three miles on its two main streets, Commercial and Bradford. It’s a stunning number of venues in such a small town, giving the art scene an urban sensibility, especially on a Friday night. The range of quality is wide; abominations, mediocrity, good, great and masterworks dot the visual landscape, as would be expected in an environment where creativity on all levels is encouraged. What is also true is that excellence glows like a gemstone discovered in a rock while taking a gallery stroll. It is the spirit and skill of the artist that leaps out at the casual viewer, whether student or serious collector. Let’s take … [Read more...] about P-Town
Where Are You International
LATINO ARTISTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT For those of us living in Boston’s MetroWest region, it’s a given that for the best pupusas, or to catch a Capoeira practice, a visit to Framingham is a sure bet. The town is a known enclave of Latino businesses, from hole-in-the wall taco stands to Columbian bakeries to Brazilian ... everything. But “Latino,” this pan-ethnic label of a population predicted to claim the US majority by 2070, can be hard to pin down. To help us access the enormity of the Latino identity and the idea of “Latinization” today from an art world stand-point, enter Framingham’s Fountain Street Fine Art (FSFA). This summer, FSFA hosts the New England edition of “We Are You Project International,” a traveling exhibition of 36 contemporary Latino artists and poets with roots in over a dozen Latin American nations. Launched in 2012 by artist Raúl Villarreal … [Read more...] about Where Are You International
Painting the People
A COMMON CONVICTION; A CENTURY APART It may be difficult to consider parallelism between two artists as separated by time and tradition as Erastus Salisbury Field and Alice Neel. Yet parallelism is exactly the tenet of a groundbreaking exhibition opening July 5 at the Bennington Museum, “Alice Neel/Erastus Salisbury Field: Painting the People.” Erastus Salisbury Field was born in 1805 in Massachusetts, where he lived for most of his life. Like Alice Neel, Field found his way to Greenwich Village, where he developed his skills in portraiture. Field made his early living as a limner, but portraiture occupied the vast majority of his early and middle years. Following the death of his wife, Field returned to Massachusetts where his bucolic country life did not diminish his political fervor and passion for social justice. He was an outspoken abolitionist. “Historical … [Read more...] about Painting the People