D. Dominick Lombardi’s curation of whit is unmistakable. In a fine arts show at UMassAmherst’s Hampden Gallery featuring works by 26 artists, and with a theme as broad as humor, cohesiveness is not a given. And yet, while “A Horse Walks into a Bar” contains a myriad of mediums and styles, its parts come together to form a wonderfully silly, provocative and subtly nostalgic whole. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of “A Horse Walks Into A Bar” is the innovative and unique use of materials and methods to achieve a sense of playfulness and absurdity. Among the most intriguing of these is Lucy White’s Band-Aid prints, “Sex Pistols,” 2005, “Peace Panty,” 2006, and “I Hate You Brief XL,” 2006. In her signature minimalist style, with an edge of art-poking-fun-at-art, White offers viewers an easy avenue into weighty issues like gender inequality and gun violence. Other exciting uses of … [Read more...] about “A HORSE WALKS INTO A BAR” AND OTHER CURIOUS NOTIONS AT HAMPDEN GALLERY
humor
BECHDEL AT UVM: WISDOM AND WHIMSEY
FEATURED ARTIST SELF-CONFESSED! THE INAPPROPRIATELY INTIMATE COMICS OF ALISON BECHDEL FLEMING MUSEUM OF ART UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT 61 COLCHESTER AVENUE BURLINGTON, VERMONT THROUGH MAY 20 by Elayne Clift She’s a black belt in karate, a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Genius Award, an award-winning cartoonist and writer, Vermont’s Cartoonist Laureate, and what one critic called an “intellectual populist.” She is also an astute observer of the human condition who reveals an abundance of emotional intelligence, both personal and political, in her work. To top it off, she has a great sense of humor. All that makes her exhibition, “Self-Confessed! The Inappropriately Intimate Comics of Alison Bechdel,” on view at Burlington’s Fleming Museum, a must-see before it closes on May 20. Bechdel, who grew up in a family of literature, art, culture and secrets — her … [Read more...] about BECHDEL AT UVM: WISDOM AND WHIMSEY