Consisting of what looks to be a brain or a heart melting over a toaster, Patrick Holderfield's untitled sculpture is one of the pieces featured in the Big Orbit art exhibit at the UB Anderson Gallery, on display from March 3 through April 24.
The artwork includes various styles and mediums such as paintings, charcoal drawings, photographs and sculptures made of many different materials.
Yolanda Daliz calls one such sculpture "The Protector." Her creation, made of wood, resin and Styrofoam, appears to be a three-legged ferocious dog or wolf.
There are also charcoal drawings on display, including a huge picture of a screaming man's face by Juan Carlos Perdiguero. The detail in this untitled portrait is close to that of a photograph.
Included in the paintings is a work called "Woman on Couch With Book" by Bruce Adams. It is a vibrantly colored portrayal of a naked, tattooed, pierced woman who is, true to the title, lying on a couch while reading a book.
Many pieces in Big Orbit demand the viewer to develop his or her own interpretation, and many people debated over what the artist could have meant by this piece or that piece.
One such debatable sculpture is called "One Day in the Life of American Children," by Mary Giehl. It consists of two figure outlines framed on the wall, one of a boy, the other of a girl. In front of it are two miniature tables, and before that sits a full-sized red desk. Hanging from different angles above the desks are four light bulbs.
There are also many photographs in the exhibit, including a display of local amateur photographers.
People who live on the west side of Buffalo were asked to photograph local landmarks and objects of interest in the area. The wide variety of these images on display include a picture of the statue that stands in Lafayette Square and the church in downtown Buffalo on the corner of Delaware and Tupper.
Local talent is also on display in the "Western New York Coloring Book," which is a compilation of black and white drawings from 52 local artists.
"This is a really great exhibit," Lancaster native Jason Bannochie said. "I love all the work, my favorite is the charcoal drawing of the man's face."
He added that the extreme detail and size of the picture must have required great care to produce.
Chris Wienert from Kenmore, who attends many different art exhibits throughout the year, said this particular display is one of the better ones he has seen. He also enjoys the Anderson gallery itself and the beauty of the building.
"This place is fantastic," said Wienert.
