Robert Jackson "From Ridiculous To Sublime"
Gallery Henoch
This event has ended.
The exhibition will include as many as seventeen paintings. A reception for the artist will be held Thursday, March 24th from 6 to 8 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Over the past ten years Jackson has refashioned the idea of the still life painting into active compositions. The artist comments: “By infusing inanimate objects with a personality I am able to explore the human narrative outside of personal biases.” Whether this is accomplished in his pictures depicting epic battles between warring varieties of apples or through tight rope walking fruit, Jackson’s objective is simple, to create a body of artwork that is infused with intelligence and humor.
Utilizing a cast of characters that includes apples, balloon dogs, pastries, toys, and wooden soda-pop crates, Jackson calls forth imagery that spans from the ridiculous to the sublime. The artist first physically constructs the fictitious events in his studio before painting. He considers subjects that reference art history, literature, cinema, science, current social issues and architecture. A composition may depict a leaning tower of ornate cakes, precariously resembling the building in Pisa, which also suggests an indulgent admiration for Wayne Thiebaud the confectionery painter. In this show, Jackson pays homage to a range of artists including Jasper Johns, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollack, and Rene Magritte. One such trompe l’oeil painting, “Pop Flag”, employs stacks of red and blue soda-pop crates adorned with masking tape stars and stripes. The crates are emblazoned with stylized fonts that read “SQUIRT” or other such company logos. The effect culminates in undercurrent themes that give homage to pop culture and yet still address Jackson’s delightful sense of amusement.
Media
Schedule
from March 24, 2011 to April 16, 2011
Opening Reception on 2011-03-24 from 18:00 to 20:00