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July 26th, 2003 - Aspects of Nature
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Once again, the Gillock Gallery has further utilized the blueprint that it initiated well over a year ago at its first show: friends, art and music. This most recent group show, Aspects of Nature, brought fresh faces together with artists who have shown at the gallery since its inception. The now familiar musical component of the shows at Gillock has come into its own as a vital part of the experience, and a vibrant, cohesive group of regulars infuses the atmosphere with expectation. To her credit and each viewer’s benefit, Consuelo Alonzo Gillock’s eye and aesthetic permissibility have shown her to be a capable force for gathering art. While almost the entire participating field was exemplary, Gillock scored a major coup on the Chicago art scene by securing the artistic appearance of one of the most striking contemporary artists around, Wade Schuman. Schuman, who is represented by Forum Gallery in New York City, was the most notable entry with his amazing piece, Penguin Head on a Pedestal. With its odd, arcing frame and skilled craftsmanship, Penguin was the focus of much of the evening’s discourse. The deftness and observational clarity shown by Schuman in his work was a defining aspect of this show, with several of the artists showcasing their bravura technique. Two artists in particular, Ann Ponce and Marion Kryczka, brought work that highlighted their expert abilities. Known to Chicago audiences for some time, Kryczka is one of only a few purely figurative instructors left at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His personality and teaching style are the stuff of legends, and his artworks are testaments to his lifelong dedication to the figure. His Three Graces, a modernization of the ancient theme, was a tour de force of stroke and application, a thundering embodiment of the perfect painting lesson. If Kryczka’s painting was loud, then Ann Ponce’s landscape was a quiet interlude, yet no less powerful. Simplicity and brevity are some of this artist’s greatest gifts, and this work was quintessential Ponce. Surprisingly full of grays and whites, the little work, titled Landscape Near Kewaunee, Wisconsin, was startling; one could almost feel the cool breeze and gathering storm. Frank Oakley also submitted a small landscape with the feeling of the Ponce work, if not the skill; a great ochre and amber colored effort. Two newcomers to Gillock, Mardy Sears and Ima Pico, created pieces that were certainly worth the time it took to really investigate them. Fragile, created by Sears, was an intricate box pierced by map pins and adorned by disembodied butterfly wings. A beautiful work, Fragile conjured up visual concoctions of gender and femininity, strength and weakness, sharpness and softness with a pluralistic acceptance that defied negativity. Conversely, Ima Pico’s work Gynecaeum was created with the artist’s blatant intention of utilizing traditionally feminine traits or conditions to subvert those very aspects of the works. Superficially beautiful and soft, the works instead were staid, staged, digitally collaged photographs, complete with cold glass and screws to separate the viewer from the feigned warmth. As statements, the pieces were successful; as affirmations, they were woefully incomplete. These two works provided an interesting underlying dialogue to the show, highlighting how their creators – and the other artists with work here – took positions on what aspect of nature they might be portraying. All told, Aspects of Nature was a massive success. It was well-attended, spawned interesting discussions, and provided yet another permutation in the face of Chicago’s multivalent art scene. While there is no knowing where Gillock will take us next, there is little doubt it will be another exciting bonding experience for all those involved, as long as the talk is good, the art excellent and the harmonica blasting. ~Lawrence Smith, July 2003 |
All content copyright 2003 Consuelo Alonzo Gillock Updated: 11/21/2005 |
