The Tufts Art Gallery is hosting "Perspective: A Selection of Projects in Print and Handmade Paper from the Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions" at the Remis Sculpture Court until May 20. The artists featured are world−renowned and come from diverse backgrounds, with 12 works that demonstrate the prestige of the Brodsky Center at Rutgers University. The pieces in the exhibition at Tufts confront a wide range of international social issues and are well worth seeing for their creativity and craftsmanship.
William Kentridge is a South African artist with six photogravures displayed at the exhibit. Each is 13.5 by 22.5 inches, developed using stereopticon to add a cinematic quality. Kentridge's works draw from the oppressiveness of Apartheid and the post−Apartheid climate in his home country, indirectly revealing the shattering effects of colonialism and imperialism on the nation.
"Etant Donne" is one of Kentridge's featured photogravures and is an unsettling, creepy image in a windowless space. A large female figure occupies much of the room, adding to the claustrophobia of the piece. Newspaper clippings are scattered around her, and her body and face are distorted like a Picasso painting. One of the clippings says "HOSTAGE," which evokes a feeling of hopelessness and despair. All six of Kentridge's photogravures are highly innovative and thought− provoking, with a unique style that is not at all overdone.
Mona Hatoum is a Lebanese artist of Palestinian descent with a piece in the exhibition. She was forced to leave Lebanon as a young girl because of escalating violence, and immigrated to Great Britain. Her art explores her experiences revolving around displacement, otherness, gender and body image. Hatoum's pieces are enigmatic, encouraging a multitude of interpretations.
"Projection Cabaca" (2006) is Hatoum's work in "Perspective." It is a world map composed of crinkled, white, handmade paper. The map has no borders, thus challenging how we classify, divide and label the societies of our world. "Projection Cabaca" is a beautifully simplistic piece, leaving an impression without being overwrought or heavy−handed.
Rick Bartow is an American artist whose pieces draw on the traumatic experiences of his past and his American−Indian heritage. His father's premature death sparked his interest in his Native American background and, after serving in the Vietnam War, he found art to be an effective healing method for his trauma. His art draws on mythological and archetypal symbols.
Bartow has two pieces in the exhibition, using lithograph with Gold Leaf printed on Rives BFK paper. They are titled "Rutgers Raven bundle, Red" (2001) and "Rutgers Raven Bundle, Blue" (2001), with complementary images of powerful birds enveloped in gold leaf. Both pieces are fantastic, with defined brush strokes and paint splatters to provide a fashionable edge. Bartow beautifully mixes American−Indian symbolism with contemporary art techniques.
"Mississippi Bucket" (2009) is another standout work featured in the exhibit by Cuban artist Alexandre Arrechea, who primarily uses woodcut and lithograph techniques. Arrechea investigates the notions of power and control in his art, and even the limits of art itself. He infuses subtle humor and jarring notes in his pieces, undermining current power structures within society. He created "Mississippi Bucket" in conjunction with a sculpture he made of the same name. The piece is awesome, maze−like and complex. Arrechea's precise shading makes the drawing intimate and vivid.
The Brodsky Center provides excellent artwork for the Tufts Gallery. All of the artists featured boast superb technical skills and emotional depth in their pieces. The exhibit is very cohesive despite its varied content, and is well displayed by the Tufts Gallery staff in the Sculpture Court. It is definitely worth a visit if you need a study break during midterms.
