Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Midterm-Article
“Exhibit at Hawk Matches Hype”
Recently, I visited Hawk Galleries in Columbus, Ohio. An exhibition of Martin Blank is currently running through November 4, 2007. Being the pessimist that I am, I went to this exhibit thinking “oh great, another ‘up and coming’ artist to disappoint and probably repulse me.” However, upon entering the gallery, I was pleasantly surprised.
Walking into Hawk Galleries, you are greeted by the ever gracious hosts and hostesses who are at your beck and call to help you decide if this particular artwork will work well with your chi, feng shui, size of room, color of room, blah, blah, blah. What ever happened to just enjoying the art? Buying it because you loved it, it moved something in you, not because it matches your drapes. But, I digress.
After fending off the vultures that met me at the door, I went to see the artwork for myself. Knowing the little that I know of Martin Blank (his artwork is extremely feminine in nature, abstract artist exploring the importance of the void in art, negative space is just as important as substance, glass blowing and charcoal etchings) I wasn’t really expecting much. It takes a lot to move me with a piece of artwork, which leads me to believe, sometimes, that I may be in the wrong field of work. However, I was pleasantly surprised the closer and closer I got to his work, especially the etchings.
Recently, I visited Hawk Galleries in Columbus, Ohio. An exhibition of Martin Blank is currently running through November 4, 2007. Being the pessimist that I am, I went to this exhibit thinking “oh great, another ‘up and coming’ artist to disappoint and probably repulse me.” However, upon entering the gallery, I was pleasantly surprised.
Walking into Hawk Galleries, you are greeted by the ever gracious hosts and hostesses who are at your beck and call to help you decide if this particular artwork will work well with your chi, feng shui, size of room, color of room, blah, blah, blah. What ever happened to just enjoying the art? Buying it because you loved it, it moved something in you, not because it matches your drapes. But, I digress.
After fending off the vultures that met me at the door, I went to see the artwork for myself. Knowing the little that I know of Martin Blank (his artwork is extremely feminine in nature, abstract artist exploring the importance of the void in art, negative space is just as important as substance, glass blowing and charcoal etchings) I wasn’t really expecting much. It takes a lot to move me with a piece of artwork, which leads me to believe, sometimes, that I may be in the wrong field of work. However, I was pleasantly surprised the closer and closer I got to his work, especially the etchings.
His glass sculptures are very beautiful, indeed. Sensual and feminine as expected, colors usually monochromatic in red. His shape is juxtaposed and speaks emotions to anyone who were to lay eyes upon it.
As impressive as his glass sculptures are, his etchings are what caught my eye the most. They are mostly of women, nude, faceless, but still you can feel the power and strength in these women. Color, once again, varies between shades of red, texture is usually rough; yet seems soft at the same time with the movement of the female images. “The Three Fates,” one of the etchings on display, oddly enough aren’t women. They are portrayed as men, still faceless in a never ending circle of life and death, as their name suggests from the European mythological figures, the Fates.
I am usually disappointed by hype. I try and stay as far away from it as possible. I am hard to please, stubborn, and am very rarely moved to endorse most art exhibits in the past few years. My faith in art was renewed at this exhibit. I hope yours will be too. Go see the Martin Blank Exhibit. I’m sure you will be happy you did. Believe the hype.
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