Opening Fri 3/8 @ 6-10pm
By Josh Usmani
Passed Lives opens Proximity Gallery’s 4th year of exhibitions in Downtown Cleveland. The show is a combination of work by local artists Linda Ayala and Andy Dreamingwolf. For this exhibition, both artists created fictional portraits with dynamic personalities.
Ayala’s work has a lyrical, almost fairy tale quality. Her characters are often cute, but she creates a sense of mystery in their personalities. Some of her work for this exhibition is quite small, highlighting her delicate draftsmanship and impressive attention to detail. She explains her approach to the show as:
“Why an animal on a human body? The simple reason is the long tradition of using animals to tell stories of the human condition. Emotions seem more pronounced and the lessons to be learned more vivid. There may be more to this storytelling tradition. Researchers and most scientists who work closely with animals are learning a great deal about emotional intelligence. Tests have shown many animals, from farm animals to domestic to the wild, experience joy, anger, sadness with many experiencing a broader range. In my drawings, the animals sit patiently. Each image captured to allow for a fleeting moment to stay. It is my attempt to know the animal condition, from the shyness of a dog, the fear of a Loris, to the pride of a toad.”
She also offered insight into Dreamingwolf’s approach:
“In Andy’s work, humans and animals are alongside each other as if they took turns and made an appointment with him to sit for their portrait. They get the same special treatment, they inhabit the same world. That’s the world I want to live in.”
Dreamingwolf’s portraits also have mysterious personalities, but often he has a darker tone to his imagery. He juxtaposes imagery in provocative ways:
“For Passed Lives as well as most of my work, I am constantly trying to even class systems. Knocking down the pompous and aloof, and raising the overlooked and downtrodden. From the positions we hold, to the clothes we wear, and the figurative masks we don, we all are that same wonderful animal. A dog in a suit is still a dog, yet place a man in a suit ceases to be just a man, but is now considered a professional, a go-getter, and somehow better when all he is is that proverbial monkey in a suit.”
Both artists amalgamate human and animal characteristics; simultaneously inviting the viewer’s imagination to project as well as remove human traits. The line between human and animal becomes a continuum, upon which each character falls at different points.
Despite their fantastical subjects, both artists’ portraiture maintains a sense of dignity. Not only are the characters believable, but their eyes serve as windows into each unique personality.
Passed Lives successfully creates a dialogue between both artists’ fictional portraits. Each character features a unique, individual personality, while each artist’s distinct style creates an overall aesthetic that collectively defines the boundaries of each reality.
Passed Lives opens on Fri 3/8 from 6 – 10pm and runs through 4/26. Additional Hours: Saturdays and Sundays Noon-4pm or by appointment. Proximity Gallery is located at 1667 E 40th Street, Suite 1A in Cleveland. http://proximitycleveland.com
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.
One Response to “Passed Lives – Fictional Portraits with Dynamic Personalities”
bob
THAT USMANI pic above of a human intertwined with brown shapes,flowers is creative,etc. GOOD artwork…