Photorealistic, neoclassical, expressionistic - these are just a few of the terms one could situate with any of the 70-plus pieces of art work from Bruce Adams' "Half Life," on display in UB's Anderson Gallery. Calling it simple, however, would be a downright fib.
Adams' "Half Life" is presented as one large collection of figure painting, but can be grouped into smaller subcategories depending on the style, theme, or subject. Some are paintings of people gazing at paintings in famous art museums all over the world. Others are corpulent, naked women with tattoos.
Whatever the topic, Adams' goal is to shock his audience and get people thinking. Some of the themes are easier to recognize while others are more obscure, waiting to be brought into the light.
One theme clearly present in several of Adams' paintings is the paradox between the present and the past. A few of Adams' paintings display both stereotypical women who look like they are from the 1950's and technology from today, such as silicon computer chips.
Displaying this theme of past and present is a painting entitled "The Daughter of Niobe and Glady" (1995). This piece of art illustrates a naked blond pinup girl next to a Greek statuette in the same pose. The painting demonstrates the juxtaposition of the godliness of the statue against the taboo model.
Overlapping this theme of time is one of self-reflection, and the idea that the viewer of art is just as important as the work itself. The piece entitled "Picture of five people with two paintings - National Gallery Washington DC" (2004), displays modern day art lovers gazing at contemporary masterpieces. The real work of art isn't the masterpiece, but rather the idea of people looking at that artwork and contemplating it.
In the painting labeled "Restoration" (1988, revised 1995), two art historians are restoring an old painting. Besides the painting depicting exactly what the title conveys, there are actual stitches on the piece itself, suggesting that it too needed to be refurbished.
"I like that it shows this idea of infinity," said Adam Villard, a UB communications major. "Like that someone could paint a picture of this and then restore it-the process could go on forever."
While most of Adams' work is presented in series, there is one painting that stands out. This painting is titled "Labor Matters" (2003), and is one of the more comprehensive pieces in Adams' "Half Life." It presents the history of the automobile in collogue form. From the Model-T to the SUV, this work displays a record of one of America's oldest industries, complete with a steel frame.
Even if you don't consider yourself to be an art aficionado, "Half Life" is worth the time. Not only is there no admission fee, but Adams' work is also extremely captivating, and that's a statement anyone can understand.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
