Friday, February 7, 2014

Lure: all is not what it seems at SD Mesa College Art Gallery

by Patricia Frischer



LURE: all is not what it seems at the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery (D-101, 7250 Mesa College Drive, SD 9211). from Feb 3-27   More info: Alessandra Moctezuma 619.388.2829

Susan Myrland has curated this show  pulling together a selection of 24 interesting artists.. who examine ideas of seduction and temptation, using new forms of Light, Sound and Space art with an emphasis on interactivity and engagement.  "Lure" is a new venture for Mesa College Art Gallery, expanding the gallery’s reputation for presenting challenging experimental work by local and national artists. 

My favorite work in this show was by the artist/artist's model Savannah Jarmen (sister of Alexander) Savannah works at MOPA but there is nothing photographic about this work which she says is an ode to the plants that inspire her to take poses when she is modeling. I found the juxtaposition of the live plants with the drawn image that comes off the wall very fresh. I was just reading about the relationship that plants have to each other which is often unobserved by us so having  a human influenced by a plant in this particular way seemed to give us all a stronger connection to each other. I am also aware of a new breed of artists models which are creating visions for artist and are no longer just shapes to be positioned for compositional purposes. The best models now are presenting rich content and are collaborators in the final creation. And their modeling is more performance art then still life. Check out the models at Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School and ArtGym (downtown) and Drink and Draw (North County) 





Alexander Jarmen leads us to a focus on shoes with no laces by drawing them at the bottom of what looks like some painting in progress. These are all situated in a pretend room where some sort of business is happening, but that is left to the imagination.


Angella d'Avignon makes miniature stone circles but made with resin and not crystals. Sitting on a light box, they might be amazing in a totally dark room. She plays with tainting mystic ceremonies


No, the image is not out of focus, these works by  Curtis Bracher are overlaid with lenticular plastic sheets that are used for 3-D effects. 


Jon-Loren Bazan charmed us with floating lighted figures, more ghost like in this photo than in real life.  



Julie Weitz's video sequences were able to hold their own amongst all the flash and noise.  Various yoga like positions were assumed and then with mirror and glass, paint was overlaid in various geometric combinations.


Perry Vasquez work is rather the odd work out with no electronics or sculptural aspects. Just good old fashion painting, perhaps a touch influenced by Hieronymus Bosch.


Barbara Sexton's very strange ear duals are compelling viewing..the shadow profile was provided by Larry Poteet who crossed as I snapped the shutter.


Dave Ghilarducci presents a music influenced Morse Code generator. It is, as always with Dave, an elegantly constructed sculpture. 


No comments:

Post a Comment