Music is certainly art, but Tuesday night, the visual artists outshone the music. Intriguing concepts and fascinating compositions were the highlight of the third installment of "Music Is Art" at the Center For the Arts.
This event featured musical performances by David Wasik and Fold in Half Cat as well as the work of UB art students and local artists.
Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" inspired artist Burke Paterson's work. He integrates renaissance concepts of perspective and proportion in preparing his final illustration.
He is interested in breaking down the act of creation, giving the viewer insight into the process, citing Fellini's "8 1/2" as an example of this concept. He started the event with a blank canvas, and worked on filling it as the night progressed.
Joyce Hill's mixed media compositions utilized a variety of materials including photo transfers, acyclic, pencil and wire. Her work was inspired by her oldest daughter who is a poet. Her work taps into themes of liberation, dream states and youth.
She uses photographs of her daughter, transfers them onto her composition, coloring the borders around them. She celebrates the independence associated with youth, and creates vivid, colorful pieces of freedom.
Mollie Atkinson works in welded steel. Her interest is in depicting organic forms, abstracted in a geometric fashion. She exalts material that traditional artists may shun, such as rocks, steel, glass, or, in her words, "things you might kick out of the way."
The dichotomy in creating organic forms out of steel was a deliberate choice on her part, making her creations all the more intriguing.
David Wasik is a solo percussionist who uses mantras and trance-like states as inspiration for his music. The foundation for his music is a studio sampler, which has pre-loaded rhythms, over which he lays drumbeats. He also uses non-traditional sounds such as the side of his drumstick on a cymbal, and a shaken metal sheet.
One of his pieces delved into artifice, when he asked for audience participation in chanting "ohm." A complacent audience was unresponsive as he chanted and said, "We are a part of everything and each other."
One of his songs, a yet to be named piece, was inspired by a trip to Morocco, adding international spice to his set.
The first half of Fold in Half Cat's set had a monomaniacal predisposition to writing about drinking. Lyrically, their work leaves something to be desired. Songs such as "Puke As You Go-Go" and "Between the Pub and the Pink" offer little variety.
"Lady liquor/ skin thicker/ leaves you sicker," sang Heather Hodson on "Between the Pub and the Pink." These lines are too clich?(c)d to have a substantial impression on the listener.
Hodson cannot be faulted, entirely. Her voice is astounding and powerful, reminiscent of "Debut"-era Bj?\0xA6rk, or Norah Jones. Her voice had an authoritative bliss that carried the sometimes-obtuse lyrics.
No matter what faults they possess, they are also capable of immeasurable potential. They are talented musicians with great chemistry.
Although the interesting visual artists took center stage at Tuesday night's event, Fold in Half Cat is certainly a group to consider seeing.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
