- Norman Grindley
One of the pieces on display at Revolution Gallery's "Oh Joy! The Christmas Show"
Sana Rose, Contributor
CHRISTMAS IS a season that ushers in a buying frenzy for gifts and consumers gravitate to plazas and shopping malls like moths to a flame. But what of galleries?
Usually many events - gallery openings, craft fairs and the like - abound on the art calendar in December and this year is no exception.
Galleries are left with the task of brainstorming creative ideas for exhibitions that are suitable for such a season. At this time of the year it seems that the smaller the work, the more appropriate it is to make ready gifts for prospective buyers.
The Revolution and Mutual galleries at Chelsea Avenue and Oxford Road respectively, are hosting shows that have obviously kept the season in mind, keeping the works relatively small while not forgetting the art aspect of the gallery setting.
The Revolution Gallery's Christmas offering aligns itself with the season with its title, "Oh Joy! The Christmas Show". The Mutual Gallery on the other hand, hosts "Important Works on Small Surfaces 2", the first part of which was held two years ago. The overlapping art forms between the two galleries are printmaking and ceramics with varied themes throughout and a few notable artists.
At Revolution, most of the artists on show have exhibited with the gallery during the year. Present with his usual touch of humour and preferred materials of recycled detritus is Nosbourne Lee. His welded sculpture, "Vital Victor", a long slender figure of a man mounted on the wall is reminiscent of the crucifixion.
Fitz Russell, another sculptor working in the more traditional medium of wood, carves two young women in the round in near life size with a touch of Greek mythology. The most colour in the show comes from Ireko Baker's silk scarves and Margaret Stanley's appliqué pieces which are reminiscent of pages from children's story-books with their child-like flair. The flora and fauna renditions of Stanley's works are accompanied by a female subject in black.
With a little more attention to composition and presentation, she could capitalise on this child-like flair that permeates her pieces. It would also suit her to stitch her name on the pieces instead of writing it.
Along the colour spectrum, the jewellers opt for light greens, browns, lavender and the ubiquitous silver. Jennifer Gibbs adds a rich royal blue and purple to this colour scheme with earring and necklace ensembles, while Adlena Michelle (Michelle Blair), adds sensuous lines to her wearable art.
From The Mutual Gallery's display, a show specifically for miniatures, two of the younger artists Tafui and Keisha Castello add verve though the use of mixed materials and quiet contemplation through their imagery.
Tafui's abstractions utilise her signature colour scheme red and black and combine creative mounting with composition.
Castello on the other hand, continues her self-search with her moth series, using the actual moths themselves as collage material in a brown colour scheme.
Interesting collages from Paula Daley require a second close-up view due to size and composition while Jan Watson Altenhofen achieves clarity and control over the monotype printmaking medium in 'Orange Tree' and 'Cabin in the Valley'.
From the ceramists, Donovan Fairweather's well-mounted clay reliefs, glazed and painted, take us through the moods of male/female intimacy.Price aside, neither of the shows has many red stickers and representatives of each reported a less than average turnout on opening night.
It will clearly take more serious consideration to compete with the shopping malls and plazas of this time of the year. Regardless of the status of your pocket, there are some notable artists who deserve support in both exhibitions, as they try to balance the seasonal reality with creativity.
'Oh Joy!' continues at Revolution Gallery until December 24 and at the Mutual Gallery, viewers can pace themselves with multiple visits until January 3, 2003.
