Thursday, April 9, 1998
Exhibition depicts human reactions to modern world
ART: Painter manipulates light to reflect disillusionment with
contemporary society’s values
By Terry Tang
Daily Bruin Contributor
A bare-breasted woman scared by her own shadow. An unhappy Wall
Street businessman shedding his formal attire. A reel of film
projecting a beam of monotonous dialogue.
Although these oil paintings may appear too ambiguous to
interpret, the contemporary characters successfully challenge
onlookers to search for meaning. A close inspection of the
manipulation of light and shadows reveals these images as narrative
figures with life-like underlying emotions.
Christian Vincent’s latest solo exhibition at the Jerry Solomon
Gallery in Los Angeles showcases his key interpretive technique –
the depiction of light. On display through April 19, "Momentum"
subtly depicts human fear and disappointment across the canvas with
human models from his own life.
With 19 original works on display, a majority of the exhibition
centers on the difficulty of finding oneself spiritually amid the
monotony and impersonal nature of big business and
industrialization. In each painting, Vincent illuminates at least
one striking character with a distinction between dark and
light-colored brushstrokes. Splashed against a moody and obscure
backdrop, each piece sheds light on a harsh reality – individuals’
forced internalization of insecurities.
For example, "High and Low" suggests that the etiquette of
modern business industry enslaves workers, preventing them from
feeling at ease. Dressed in a charcoal suit, the worn-out financier
stands in a trance-like state as a strong wind sweeps away his
matching hat and glasses, leaving his brown hair and crimson tie in
disarray. Brightly lit in the background are thousands of facts and
figures from the "Wall Street Journal."Although he seems successful
at first glance, the businessman does not care about monetary
prosperity. The microscopic printing of Wall Street stock prices
emphasize how unhappy and oppressed he feels. The wind actually
gives him relief, like a breath of fresh air sweeping the man away
from the materialism of banal work.
"Industrial Spirituality" also deals with the disillusionment by
commercialism. As two identical men wearing red suits turn a
gigantic film reel, the film projector emits a ray of light with
words from the movie script floating around in the beam. Light
radiates from the projector, falling upon the theater manager
wearing a somber gray jacket. His expression is one of concern and
disappointment. The film’s dialogue has no effect on him as
entertainment. Without even watching the movie, the manager knows
companies sacrifice quality for market value.
"Industrial Spirituality" makes a fitting statement about
today’s movie industry perhaps commenting on the practice of giant
studios placing precedence on blockbuster features instead of
quality, independent films.
The fear of commitment between men and women also surfaces as
another of Vincent’s themes. In "Norwegian Night," a young man,
wearing only a towel, lovingly cleanses his curvaceous,
bare-breasted lover with a garden hose aboard a private sail boat.
A dim lantern combined with the moonlight shows the woman’s shadow
as a huge, intimidating shape against the sail. Her overwhelming
shadow seems to remind her lover that she is a person, not just a
sexual conquest. One of the more unique paintings, "Norwegian
Night" evokes the many degrees of intimacy that couples feel on a
sexual level.
Visually, Vincent’s pieces are stunning examples of the
illustration of sunlight, moonlight or candlelight. Like his work,
in order to scratch below the surface, one must interpret the
shadows formed by the characters.
ART: Admission to "Christian Vincent: Momentum" at the Jerry
Solomon Gallery, located at 960 N. La Brea Avenue, is free. For
information, call (213) 851-0428.Forum Gallery
Christian Vincent’s work "High And Low" is on display at the
Jerry Solomon Gallery.