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Volume 2, No. 39 October 11, 2002 |
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By Ally Jackson It was not SCAD illustration student Abel Macias ploy of a press release, nor obvious title misspelling, that drew me to his exhibition "ONE Mad Kow," on display at the Starlander Gallery, 11 E. 41st St. Rather, it was the quirky illustration, the strong use of mixed media and the painterly aspects. "This work frantically explores the ideas of life and the inevitable for some verses the circumstance of others," wrote Macias in his artist’s statement. "The harsh realities of the world and the unspoken fate we all try to avoid." Besides the convoluted language in this depiction of certain death and the wishy-washy way in which the words dangle before the viewer, there clearly is a method to his madness. Macias is a witty and expressive illustrator who has as much control as he does the ability to let go of it. What the exhibition does lack is the control over putting ideas into images and then again into words. Dangling participles and rambling sentences attempt to make sense of the exhibition’s theme. In fact, making sense of nonsense is very difficult to do when there is a lot of confusion to what, or how Macias, truly feels about the grave subject matter at hand: mad cow disease. Imagery such as "Nice Doggy" is successful on so many levels, including the objectiveness in which he dismantles and reassembles figure as an accomplished abstract painter would. "Sniff" is an assemblage surprisingly difficult to pinpoint thanks to a seamless marriage of form and color. Particularly enjoyable are the parts left to the imagination through patches of newsprint, texture and clippings. The more indefinable negative space the better, so that the viewer can decide tone for him or herself. Although I am not quite sure what dogs and lobsters have to do with musings on bathroom walls, frantic scribbles or mad cow disease, I don’t mind pondering it while appreciating this work. "One Mad Kow," is on display through Oct. 29. |
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