Current Exhibition
Susan Wides | and something happens to the light
May 02 - July 25, 2020
Online Viewing
and something happens to the light — The title of the photographs is a line from a poem that Robert Kelly wrote in response to Wides’ work. The setting for these photographs is close to home at her muse, the Cloves of the eastern Catskills. Here are the same luminous mountain canyons favored by Thomas Cole, the works reflecting across time on this site’s spiritual rhythms and its imperiled nature, today more severe than ever before.
…the beauty of such landscapes are quickly passing away–the ravages of the axe are daily increasing–the most noble scenes are made desolate, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism…(Thomas Cole)
Paul Glabicki | 10 SCENES
July 21 - October 24, 2020
Online Viewing
During this time in quarantine, Paul Glabicki completed the final chapters of his 10 SCENES drawing series that was begun in 2018. The path of the narrative evolved during the pandemic. Earlier drawings dealt more with fantasy, travel and romance. The latter drawings were encoded with reality, stay at home and travel restrictions. SCENE #8 is informed by patriotic props and color. The final SCENES suggest shelter in place and change in behavioral habits. 10 SCENES explores components of a narrative as fractured data in an abstract space – a space (much like a book) formed in the mind of the reader or viewer in response to the information provided by the artist.
Dan Hernandez | Reset | Game Changers
February 20 - April 25, 2020
Early video game consoles were designed with a “RESET” button. This feature allowed the user to reboot the console’s software. While it was not the intent, the “reset” button on Hernandez’ Nintendo Entertainment System often got used as a release of frustration. His finger would jam the reset in a fit of annoyance at losing a precious life, or at missing an important weapon or power up, early on in a game.
The four narrative narrative works in RESET were influenced by various pictorial genres, including early Christian illuminations, medieval maps, Islamic Art and Indian Miniatures. Two distinct philosophies were employed that are commonly used in video games. The first is a sandbox philosophy whereby the player has complete freedom to explore within boundaries. The second philosophy is more linear as the player must follow a defined path. Games like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Maze Craze, Pac-Man and Pokeman influenced the work.
In the more abstract paintings, fragments from the artist’s digital archive of appropriated imagery from art history, video games and cartoons, some of which have been used in previous paintings, are piled together in non-narrative compositions.
RESET alternates between the narrative and the abstract. While being distinctly different, the two artistic styles are complementary. They are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang, set and reset.
MassArt Art Museum Boston, MA
GAME CHANGERS through 2020
This group exhibition explores nine artists among them Dan Hernandez working at the confluence of contemporary art and video games. Whether highlighting under explored narratives, pushing technological boundaries, or imagining alternative worlds through game aesthetics, the artists feature in Game Changers are discovering new possibilities for what game-related art can be and do.