Relativity: Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA
D. Dominick Lombardi
Curated by Amy Hauft, "Relativity" features the works of four Virginia Commonwealth University’s artist/teachers paired with the works from VCU’s collection that inspired them. These visual cross references were garnered from conversations the curator and each artist. Sun Tek Chung’s color photograph, The South, The South, 2002–a Korean man looking red neck-like, sporting a mullet, is slouched (drunkenly) on the front porch of a shack; draped over the house is a confederate flag detailed with South Korean markings. Chung’s work is displayed to two of Thomas A. Daniel’s black and white photographs which capture a variety of Southern pride–picturing aging Civil War widows. The reference is obvious, as it hones one’s sense of perception and proximity.
James Davis offers three works that play with the extremes of minimalism and refraction. They are set in curious juxtaposition with several clean, colored screen prints by Jules Olitski that are set atop three tall pedestals. I found Davis’s Core, 2004, colors pencil on MDF, of particular interest, with its concentric, colored rings.
Jeannine Harkleroad’s Trying to Make a Sunset, 2005, is a wonderful performance-based construction, with its multi-colored shacks, pulleys, Emit Kelly lollipops and Chicken out fit. However, I found the pairing with a Tang Dynasty Horse and two Mose Tolliver paintings confused more than it illuminated.
Chris Norris’s 12 untitled works, all ink and acrylic on paper, are reminiscent of works by the great Icelandic artist Erró. Erró too, used clusterings from popular culture, mythology, and the classics, however, Norris tends to focus his clusters into, albeit it impossible, narrative. The pairing of Norris’ work with pieces by Dieter Roth, Philip Guston, David Hockney and George Grosz amplified Norris’ frenetic vignettes.
