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Upcoming Events | |
Kopidlansky is hosting a group show at 6 to 11 p.m., Oct. 14 at 13th District Gallery/Art-of-Designs, 1706 W. Chicago Ave. "Evolution beyond the Streets" is a Graffiti-tribute quoted to be, “far beyond the Zen of the spray can.” Damien James has no future exhibits planned, but can be reached at notjackkerouac@yahoo.com. |
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Seven dollar admission was not a pleasant formality in a city which is used to paying only when leaving with a piece of art. Although fifteen would get you any of the music acts such as Air This Side of Caution, various theater group access, and all the images and artist meet and greet you could stand. If you were smart, you volunteered and got to see everything for free.
The photography of Ania Wilczak with pieces of women in bathtubs such as Devilish Delights and Untitled of a creepy Clara Bow-type subject were deficient of genuine emotion as the models seemed to be captured a second before readiness. Marc McGowan's blurry images of people in transit around the city showed more negating facial features were so clouded. But the displacement of the human, urban, and animal figures in the mixed works of Damien James was stirring along with his titles on photographs of childhood pictures giving character opinions on each piece. I was staring wowed at his composition Opening the grave, wearing the mask, checking the watch, which looked like it hung as diagram on a Martian doctor's office door for what was wrong with all busy humans.
My elbows were stilled by gentle hands as a Roy Orbison face leaned near my mouth and adjusted to my height. “I'm Damien,” it said with only a sliver of eye making contact with mine. I was grounded but not in terms of any gripping force. A little girl chattered something at him and he rubbed her head, making sure she didn't stumble around the pieces while playing. When I asked if he was available for a profile, he smiled with a yes, handing me a little velvet burgundy book about a self-deprecating, obsessive man he'd drawn who can't spell along with a loving fine-who-needs-you thanks for looking at him. Yes was written on the cover. He walked away, leaving a business card which read, 'Friendly toward children and most appliances.” James had a demeanor about him, which seemed as though he treated strangers like his elementary-school friends.
He views the purpose and process behind his work as follows:
“Generally, the pieces happen in a very spontaneous way, evolving from day to day depending on my mood, what I've been reading, or what I see on the streets. I try to put my life into everything, each piece containing a momentary snapshot of me in the present or past, a question, a suggestion, or a mystery to consider. I also try to make art that encourages a sense of wonder. Art for me is about wonder and possibility.”
This phenomenal artist, who had no formal training and keeps his work in garbage bags beneath his bed, had this to say about Opening the grave, wearing the mask, checking the watch:
“This piece preceded the one mentioned above. It was the piece that taught me real patience and really honed the technical aspect of my current style. It came about with only one idea in mind: to create an allegory. "Opening the grave..." I think is richer in symbolism than any other piece I've made. It's geometric underlying pattern is also one the few references I make to my design background. This piece has received many interpretations from people who have seen it, which makes me incredibly happy and reluctant to offer my own interpretation.”
The other character from his small trinket books was also introduced later in a larger specimen entitled I Grieve That Grief Can Teach Me Nothing, and was explained in these sentiments: “This is definitely a piece that developed spontaneously. I began this piece while reading Emerson, (the title is a quote), and at the time I was dealing with a personal tragedy, trying to understand how to grieve, trying to understand how to survive grief. This directed the drawing. It began with the face in the center, in profile, a face that seemed grief-stricken to me. This figure has his back to us, he's broken and has holes in him, he's holding his tail, and his head isn't complete. I wanted some of him to be approachable and human, but I also wanted him to be bigger than human, which is how grief felt to me then. The chaos around him came from my interior and is still connected to where I hurt for the past.”
On the other side of the wall, sat Lucite and glass designer Erik Kopidlansky, next to his sunny promoter and best friend, Lisa Lapczynski. I found it to be a small metropolis when I realized I was talking to an artist whose single piece was talked about by Rick Schmitz of High Risk Gallery, but could only be celebrated in words as it sold on opening night of the show Soliloquy. Kopidlansky scratched his shaggy cinnamon hair behind his large lenses and smirked when I commented on the boldness of his backpainted panels and furniture. The Geneva-born, technique-driven craftsman, who has loved contemporary art since the age of four, offers the motive behind his functional articles of atmosphere:
“My painting theories are based on the classic argument of control versus chaos. I break away from this argument by accepting control and chaos as being the same thing; like different sides of a coin. The human mind has dealt with our existence by creating meanings for things that has consequently divided control and chaos into two different columns. I believe control and chaos to be no more than different perceptions of energy. Everything in the universe is made up of energy-our Earth, space, people, plants---It's all Energy! I use the core elements of painting, line and color to create archetype images that speaks through the universal language of energy. Around the Coyote was a great venue for me to exhibit my art, observing fair goers having a clear conscious connection with my art has only reinforced my theories of a universal collective energy that pulse through us all! Not to mention, the positive response from collectors this has been a great experience, Thank you Around the Coyote!!”
Whereas many of the artists shot unapproachable buy-it-or keep-walking glances, these two went the extra mile to expound their work and who they sought to reach with it. These men definitely knew themselves well and they wanted to know the spectator. There is more entertainment value in meeting the creators of these pieces than owning an example of their invaluable creative gifts. After all, everything was made with love and concern for the lives of their audiences turned guests, and their ardor is best experienced in person - distributed in unexpected reactions.
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Wow
Written by Guest on 2006-10-13 23:05:54
 Great story! Nice to know the art world in Chicago isn't so jaded yet...like the rest of the world!!
BTW: to the editors more gallery/art reviews!!! |
