THE TOY SHOW II: Lora Schlesinger Gallery
THE NoA ViSITS THE TOY SHOW II: Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Nov 21-Dec 31, 2009
As the Bergamot Station gallery's final exhibition for 2009, Schlesinger has composed a vivid and vibrant toy-scape. In presenting skillfully executed pieces that offer good humor and smart satire, the work demands serious consideration.
Greeting art appreciators in the entrance to the gallery is Gifford Myers's "Sad Boy." The head on this sculpture-meets-plush toy is more than suggestive of Michelangelo's David and forces the viewer to re-connect with the original masterpiece by virtue of this work's contrasted body and limp posture - would David continue to pose on marble feet if he were given this option? On the facing wall, Mike Tracy's forty "Little Monsters" skew pop-culture's most popular animated icons.
The most convivial piece in the opening room is a series of three portraits by Pasadena artist Christopher Murphy.
Titled "Pop I," "Pop II" and "Pop III," Murphy has captured the spirit of his subject with a layered piece that not only has a photo-realistic feel, but a rich texture that gives his subject real life amidst a soft haze of confetti. The series is both joyous and reflective and its success harvests the highly-detailed sketch portraiture and architectural urban landscapes of Murphy's recent works, and imbues that detail with the light touch and humor present in the artist's earliest exhibited works in this space.
The Toy Show II floats from light to dark without pretense. Other highlights include (but are not limited to) Sherry Markovitz's highly detailed, hand-beaded heads ("Double Howdy"), Michael Beck's stark and moody toy cannon ("Long Shot"), and John Robertson's "Pooh," which feels like a somber and surreal ode to Rodin's monumental Gates of Hell.
If you're out of town you can check out the gallery's website here for more of the show's work. Otherwise, if you're in the LA area, head down to building T3 at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica CA 90404.
Hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving weekends! Until soon. NoA.
All images in this post are taken by Elliot V. Kotek, rights to the images' content belong to the individual artists.
As the Bergamot Station gallery's final exhibition for 2009, Schlesinger has composed a vivid and vibrant toy-scape. In presenting skillfully executed pieces that offer good humor and smart satire, the work demands serious consideration.
Greeting art appreciators in the entrance to the gallery is Gifford Myers's "Sad Boy." The head on this sculpture-meets-plush toy is more than suggestive of Michelangelo's David and forces the viewer to re-connect with the original masterpiece by virtue of this work's contrasted body and limp posture - would David continue to pose on marble feet if he were given this option? On the facing wall, Mike Tracy's forty "Little Monsters" skew pop-culture's most popular animated icons.
The most convivial piece in the opening room is a series of three portraits by Pasadena artist Christopher Murphy.
Titled "Pop I," "Pop II" and "Pop III," Murphy has captured the spirit of his subject with a layered piece that not only has a photo-realistic feel, but a rich texture that gives his subject real life amidst a soft haze of confetti. The series is both joyous and reflective and its success harvests the highly-detailed sketch portraiture and architectural urban landscapes of Murphy's recent works, and imbues that detail with the light touch and humor present in the artist's earliest exhibited works in this space.
The Toy Show II floats from light to dark without pretense. Other highlights include (but are not limited to) Sherry Markovitz's highly detailed, hand-beaded heads ("Double Howdy"), Michael Beck's stark and moody toy cannon ("Long Shot"), and John Robertson's "Pooh," which feels like a somber and surreal ode to Rodin's monumental Gates of Hell.
If you're out of town you can check out the gallery's website here for more of the show's work. Otherwise, if you're in the LA area, head down to building T3 at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica CA 90404.
Hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving weekends! Until soon. NoA.
All images in this post are taken by Elliot V. Kotek, rights to the images' content belong to the individual artists.
Posted by Elliot V. Kotek at 11/27/2009 6:28 PM 
Categories: Art, Sculpture, Bergamot Station, Painting, Exhibition, Toys
Tags: Painting Christopher Murphy Artists Lora Schlesinger Sherry Markovitz Elliot V. Kotek Mike Tracy Adonna Khare Elliot Kotek California Art Sculpture Michael Beck Gifford Myers The Nation of Artists Nation of Artists John Robertson Santa Monica Bergamot Station Exhibition
Categories: Art, Sculpture, Bergamot Station, Painting, Exhibition, Toys
Tags: Painting Christopher Murphy Artists Lora Schlesinger Sherry Markovitz Elliot V. Kotek Mike Tracy Adonna Khare Elliot Kotek California Art Sculpture Michael Beck Gifford Myers The Nation of Artists Nation of Artists John Robertson Santa Monica Bergamot Station Exhibition
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